Kansas State’s spring football roster filled with notable changes for Wildcats
.jpg "Kansas State quarterback Will Howard (18) takes the snap during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)")
The Kansas State football team updated its roster this week, which means the start of spring practices on March 7 isn’t far away.
Brand new players like Maize quarterback Avery Johnson now have a designated number (he will wear No. 5 next season) and returning players like offensive lineman Cooper Beebe have put on some weight (he is up to 332 pounds) since fans last saw them at the Sugar Bowl.
It also means departing stars like Deuce Vaughn and Felix Anudike-Uzomah can no longer be found on the school’s website.
Here is a full breakdown of the most notable changes on K-State’s updated roster:
Numbers for new arrivals
The Wildcats have added 18 new players to their roster since the spring semester began. Those early arrivals have settled on numbers and weighed in with the strength staff.
In numerical order ...
1 - Jayce Brown, 5-foot-11 and 172-pound freshman WR
5 - Avery Johnson, 6-2 and 178 freshman QB
7 - Kam Sallis, 6-1 and 206 freshman DB
8 - Will Lee, 6-3 and 190 sophomore DB
9 - Treshaun Ward, 5-10 and 194 senior RB
18 - Wesley Fair, 6-0 and 197 freshman DB
19 - Keagan Johnson, 6-0 and 196 sophomore WR
20 - Trey Engram, 5-6 and 174 freshman RB
21 - Marques Sigle, 5-11 and 187 junior DB
23- Andre Davis, 6-4 and 195 freshman WR
25 - Collin Dunn, 6-1 and 180 freshman LB
26 - Terry Kirksey, 6-3 and 228 junior LB
28 - Rex Van Wyhe, 6-5 and 225 sophomore LB
35 - Simon McClannan, 5-11 and 174 freshman K
37 - Austin Romaine, 6-4 and 244 freshman LB
85 - Wesley Watson, 6-1 and 193 freshman WR
92 - Jevon Banks, 6-2 and 295 junior NG
98 - Chiddi Obiazor, 6-6 and 250 freshman DE
One more note: There is no picture associated with Will Lee’s information yet, which means he is not yet on campus. K-State is hopeful he will arrive closer to the start of spring practices.
Scholarship fullback leaves team
It appears as though Jax Dineen will not be back for an extra season with the Wildcats.
Dineen, a 5-foot-10 and 244-pound fullback from Lawrence, could have returned to the football team for at least one more year in 2023 but it now seems like his playing days may be over.
He is no longer listed on the K-State roster after playing in 37 games over four seasons with the Wildcats.
While that is not exactly a surprise, he never publicly announced his future plans. Dineen never entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal or declared he would pursue a pro career. It seems as though he is ready to pursue other options beyond football after college.
Dineen was only used sparingly last year, as he gained two yards on just one rushing attempt. But his ability to run for tough yardage and make physical blocks made him a popular player in previous seasons.
His brother, Jet Dineen, will be a redshirt-freshman safety for the Wildcats this season.
Moving up a weight class
More than a few K-State football players hit the weight room early on in 2023.
That much is obvious by looking at the weight that some Wildcats put on before the start of spring practices.
John Pastore, a redshirt-freshman offensive lineman, made the biggest jump, up 19 pounds to 291.
Jet Dineen wasn’t far behind him, adding 16 pounds to reach 202 on the scale. Tobi Osunsanmi, a redshirt-freshman linebacker, was next in line as he added 12 pounds to get up to 228.
Desmond Purnell, Nickendre Stiger, Cooper Beebe, KT Leveston and Donovan Rieman all put on 10 pounds to help them play a little stronger next season.
Also of note: Will Howard has bulked all the way up to 242 pounds. That should make him one of the biggest quarterbacks in the country next season.
A few players also lost a notable amount of weight. Offensive lineman Taylor Poitier dropped 11 pounds down to 280 as he recovered from a season-ending injury. Fullback Christian Moore also dropped eight pounds to 235.
This story was originally published February 21, 2023 at 10:34 AM with the headline "Kansas State’s spring football roster filled with notable changes for Wildcats."