An in-depth look at how K-State's 2027 recruiting class might be one of the Wildcats’ best in 20-plus years

There was anticipation when Collin Klein took over as the Kansas State head coach that the program could make a jump on the recruiting trail. In less than seven months on the job, that belief has become reality.

The Wildcats’ 2027 recruiting class ranks No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference behind only Texas Tech, according to the Rivals industry consensus rankings, which compiles the average rating from three major recruiting services—Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN. The class ranks No. 30 nationally in the industry consensus, while 247Sports currently ranks it as a top-25 class in the country.

That’s noteworthy, but what makes it more impressive is the historical context of how this class compares to other K-State classes over the past 20-plus years. The Wildcats’ class score of 87.69 in the Rivals industry consensus rankings is the program’s best mark since at least 2000—which spans 27 prior recruiting classes. The 86.65 average rating of K-State’s 24 commitments, which also currently ranks No. 2 in the Big 12, is the third-best rating for a K-State class since at least 2004.

Class year	Class score	National ranking	Big 12 ranking
2027	87.69	No. 30	No. 2
2026	87.05	No. 46	No. 8
2025	87.11	No. 37	No. 3
2024	87.20	No. 42	No. 5
2023	86.94	No. 37	No. 6
2022	84.04	No. 63	No. 9
2021	83.69	No. 54	No. 8
2020	84.54	No. 52	No. 8
2019	82.88	No. 67	No. 9
2018	83.51	No. 61	No. 9
2017	82.99	No. 60	No. 9
2016	82.51	No. 63	No. 9
2015	83.65	No. 55	No. 8
2014	84.21	No. 48	No. 7
2013	82.74	No. 60	No. 9
2012	79.48	No. 98	No. 10
2011	83.45	No. 45	No. 8
2010	80.99	No. 79	No. 10
2009	81.95	No. 61	No. 9
2008	81.72	No. 50	No. 6
2007	82.01	No. 46	No. 5
2006	81.07	No. 45	No. 6
2005	82.38	No. 33	No. 4
2004	82.14	No. 34	No. 3
2003	79.84	No. 102	No. 10
2002	80.0	No. 20	No. 6
2001	NA	NA	No. 7
2000	79.63	No. 76	No. 10

The depth of the 2027 high school class stands out. Eighteen of the 23 prep commitments—78% of the class—are ranked in the top 1,000 nationally in the Rivals industry consensus. Since 2004, the most top 1,000 commitments in a K-State class was 14 in 2007. From 2004-26, the average number of top 1,000 recruits in a K-State class was just under seven.

Number of K-State high school commits in each class from 2004-27 ranked in the Rivals industry consensus top 500 and top 1,000 nationally

Class	Top 500 commits	Top 1,000 commits
2027	4 (17%)	18 (78%)
2026	0	11 (61%)
2025	2 (9%)	9 (39%)
2024	3 (23%)	7 (54%)
2023	4 (17%)	7 (30%)
2022	0	4 (27%)
2021	2 (13%)	7 (44%)
2020	0	7 (33%)
2019	1 (5%)	4 (19%)
2018	0	3 (20%)
2017	1 (6%)	6 (33%)
2016	1 (7%)	3 (20%)
2015	1 (5%)	10 (48%)
2014	2 (15%)	4 (31%)
2013	1 (7%)	3 (21%)
2012	0	3 (27%)
2011	1 (6%)	8 (44%)
2010	1 (8%)	3 (25%)
2009	0	6 (38%)
2008	2 (17%)	7 (58%)
2007	2 (11%)	14 (74%)
2006	2 (14%)	7 (50%)
2005	5 (28%)	13 (72%)
2004	4 (22%)	11 (61%)

K-State’s emphasis on recruiting the state of Texas

K-State’s class is highlighted by four-star commits Cooper Ohnmacht and Joshua Vilmael. Ohnmacht, the No. 1-ranked player in Kansas who will play safety at K-State, chose the Wildcats over Penn State, Wisconsin and many others.

Vilmael, the No. 44-ranked player in Texas, picked K-State over Florida State, Houston, North Carolina and others. The 6-foot-1 corner is ranked in the top 25 at his position by both Rivals and 247Sports, and is ranked as a top 200 player in the entire country by both recruiting services. He is the highest-ranked recruit K-State has landed out of the Lone Star state since Brock Unruh in 2005, an offensive lineman who was ranked the No. 36 player in Texas.

Speaking of Texas, the Wildcats currently have eight commits from the state, with a ninth expected in Jalen Price, a defensive end who was previously committed to Baylor. Assuming Price pledges to K-State, all nine commits will be ranked in the top 150 in the industry consensus rankings for the state of Texas in the 2027 class. Dating back to 2011, the most commits K-State has landed out of Texas in a single class was six.

One of K-State’s other prized recruits in the 2027 class is defensive end Sedrick Marsh, the No. 67 player in Texas and a borderline four star. And in the 2026 class, Klein and staff pulled Josiah Vilmael, the 70th-ranked recruit in Texas and brother of Joshua. Marsh and the Vilmael brothers are all three ranked higher in the state of Texas rankings in their class than any K-State commit from the state since 2007. Add in offensive tackle Keagan Collins and defensive end Tucker Ashford, both top 100 commits from Texas in the 2026 class, and you can see a major pipeline being established in the state.

K-State has also landed major pieces in other talent-rich states, including two top 100-ranked players in the state of Florida in wide receiver Brooklyn Maxey and defensive tackle Joseph Graves, along with two top-30 players in Louisiana in cornerback Bra'jon Melancon and receiver Ashton Stark. One of my favorite commits in the class is London Goggans, a safety from Georgia who had 16 other power-four offers. While offensive tackle Brayden Harris was a significant addition out of Missouri.

Who the Wildcats are defeating on the recruiting trail

Another thing that stands out about the 2027 class is the number of power-four programs the Wildcats are defeating. K-State has 10 commits—or 42% of its class—with double-digit power-four offers. The previous four classes (2023-26) had a combined six commits with 10-plus offers from power-four programs. The average number of power-four offers per commit in the 2027 class is 8.4. K-State commits in the previous four classes averaged four or less power-four offers. Approximately 87% of the class has at least three power-four offers, while 63% of the class has six or more offers excluding K-State. I do need to add a caveat that offer lists on recruiting profiles aren't 100% accurate, but that's what we have to go off of for this piece.

Class	Avg. P4 offers per commit	# commits with 3 or more P4 offers	# commits with 6 or more P4 offers	# commits with 10 or more P4 offers
2027	8.4	20 (87%)	15 (63%)	10 (42%)
2026	3.2	10 (56%)	2 (11%)	0
2025	4.0	13 (57%)	5 (22%)	2 (9%)
2024	3.9	8 (62%)	3 (23%)	3 (23%)
2023	3.9	13 (57%)	7 (30%)	1 (4%)

K-State high school commits in the 2027 class, including the number of power-four offers each recruit received outside of K-State along with how they rank nationally in the Rivals industry consensus.

Player	# of power 4 offers	Rivals industry ranking
Cooper Ohnmacht (S)	10	No. 303
Joshua Vilmael (CB)	12	No. 308
Ben Hynek (TE)	9	No. 431
Brayden Harris (OT)	10	No. 441
Sedrick Marsh (DE)	17	No. 508
Bra'jon Melancon (CB)	4	No. 537
Dawayne Jones (DT)	15	No. 543
Colton McComb (LB)	6	No. 603
David Rushing (WR)	2	No. 723
Cam Kruse (QB)	3	No. 732
Brooklyn Maxey (WR)	14	No. 775
Joseph Graves (DT)	18	No. 783
Anitoni Tahi (DT)	8	No. 795
Logan Davis (CB)	0	No. 804
London Goggans (S)	16	No. 812
Correll Buckhalter (RB)	9	No. 823
Bryson Dossett (S)	12	No. 932
Kelvin Eiwo (IOL)	3	No. 971
Canaan Smith (IOL)	3	No. 1015
Giacamo SanFilippo (LB)	3	No. 1024
Jeron Allen (DE)	11	No. 1104
Ashton Stark (WR)	7	No. 1115
George Murray (CB)	1	No. 1433

The Wildcats are going up against solid power-four programs, and they’re winning. The below table highlights the programs K-State is running up against most frequently on the recruiting trail, with Oklahoma State and Arkansas having offered the most guys committed to the Wildcats.

Number of offers to K-State commits from other programs

School	# offers to K-State commits
Oklahoma State	9
Arkansas	9
Iowa State	8
Missouri	7
Houston	7
KU	7
Auburn	6
Illinois	6
Wisconsin	6
Baylor	5
Minnesota	5
Texas Tech	4
Texas A&M	4
Florida State	4
Nebraska	4
UCLA	4
Louisville	4
North Carolina	4
Pittsburgh	4
Arizona State	4
Oklahoma	3
Penn State	3
SMU	3
Ole Miss	3
Mississippi State	3
Kentucky	3
Virginia Tech	3
Georgia Tech	3
TCU	3
Utah	2
LSU	2
Miami (FL)	2
Iowa	2
Colorado	2
North Carolina State	2
Cincinnati	2
Michigan State	2

I feel the need to point out what most of us already know—evaluating recruits isn’t an exact science. It’s not easy to project what a 17-or 18-year old in high school will become at the college level. Just look at some of the guys Chris Klieman and his staff landed and developed over the years.

Year	Player	National ranking	Where each high school commit ranked in K-State's class
2024	Zashon Rich	1390	Last
2023	Chiddi Obiazor	1260	No. 13
2023	Jayce Brown	1404	No. 18
2023	Austin Romaine	1460	No. 20
2022	Jacob Parrish	1933	Last
2021	Desmond Purnell	1325	Next to last
2021	Damian Ilalio	1511	Last
2020	Deuce Vaughn	1203	No. 9
2020	Felix Anudike-Uzomah	2306	Last
2019	Cooper Beebe	1320	No. 10

However, the more top 500 and top 1,000 recruits you land as a program, the more your hit rate increases on guys working out. If Klein and his staff can develop players close to the rate Klieman did, and you couple that with the recruiting prowess they’re showing right now, then the future becomes very bright.

The Wildcats have built a larger staff, have modernized recruiting and are innovative. The result is they’re opening more doors and slamming them shut on the recruiting trail while establishing what K-State fans hope is the next great era of K-State football.

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