Chris Klieman, Wildcats in the NFL Draft and basketball predictions: K-State Q&A
There was a time when Kansas State owned the longest NFL Draft streak in the Big 12.
From 1994 to 2019, the Wildcats produced at least one pick in every single draft. It was a point of pride during the Bill Snyder era and an impressive run for the football team.
But some of those years were awfully lean. Bryce Brown as a seventh-rounder in 2012 and Tavon Rooks as a sixth-rounder in 2014 kept that streak going longer than it deserved. Besides, sending just one player to the NFL every year isn’t much of an accomplishment when you consider the size of each recruiting class.
I have chosen to re-visit the streak not to diminish it, but to instead shine a light on the upgraded talent that coach Chris Klieman has brought to Manhattan during his time in charge of the Wildcats.
K-State has produced 10 draft picks over the past four years, and at least three more players are expected to go in the 2025 NFL Draft this weekend. That would make it 13 (or more) picks in five drafts for an average of nearly three per year.
It’s also worth pointing out that four of Klieman’s draft picks have been selected in the first three rounds, including Felix Anudike-Uzomah by the Chiefs in Round 1 (2023).
Jacob Parrish and DJ Giddens could both hear their names called early on Friday. Marquis Sigle should be a late pick. Another Wildcat or two could join them.
At the height of Snyder’s powers, there were years when K-State had six picks in a single draft. Klieman hasn’t reached that level yet, but a year like that could be on the horizon if he continues to prioritize recruiting and player development.
You can tell he is on his way to building an impressive NFL Draft streak of his own.
Now, it’s time for another K-State Q&A. Let’s dive into your questions. Thanks, as always, for providing them.
Who is the overall best athlete on the 2025 Wildcat football team? -@JeffVaughn via X.
The answer to this question really comes down to what qualities you admire most in an athlete.
If you love speed then VJ Payne is your guy. The talented safety is the fastest player on the entire K-State football roster, as he can run nearly 24 mph in practice.
But if you prefer strength then someone like Gus Hawkins or Chiddi Obiazor or Austin Romaine is more your cup of tea.
Maybe you like versatility. Did you know that Avery Johnson was also great at basketball and baseball in high school? Or that Will Anciaux could probably be an impact player in the K-State basketball front court? Or that Damian Ilalio was once a state champion in wrestling?
One of these days I will have to camp out in the K-State weight room and actually try and pick a winner. But I’m not ready to pick the biggest freak just yet.
Will Avery have more than one competent receiver this year? -@WildcatV1ctory via X.
Yes.
Jayce Brown is back to lead the K-State wide receivers, but he should benefit from a better supporting cast than last season.
Boston College transfer Jerand Bradley made several impressive catches during spring practices. The 6-foot-5 wide out should be an exciting new target for Avery Johnson in the passing game.
Purdue transfer Jaron Tibbs also looked good. I was impressed by him during interviews, and he followed that up by making some nice grabs this spring. At 6-foot-2, he should also be a tall target for Johnson.
Depth could be a concern, as I’m not super excited about anyone else in the WR corps. But the Wildcats may not need six wide outs with all the talent they have at tight end.
It’s about 120 days away from Week 0, Game 1. Will you be reporting live from Dublin? And what Tourists stops would you head off to? Would you attempt to drive a car on the wrong side of the road? -@ChadFullington via X.
I will be in Ireland with the football team in August.
My plan is to have tons of fun videos, articles and social media posts to share from across the pond ... So stay tuned for that!
Trips to the Guinness Brewery and the Jameson Distillery are probably in my future. I am also hoping to see some of the iconic cliffs. A round of golf would be amazing, but I somehow doubt I can make that happen. It is a work trip for me, after all.
I won’t be renting a car. The folks who run the Aer Lingus College Football Classic have assured me tourists don’t need to drive on the wrong side of the road to get around Dublin.
The only thing I can say for sure is that I will be at any open practices leading up to kickoff and then the game.
Farmageddon in Ireland should be fun.
Fill in the blank. With the projected MBB roster for next season, they will finish __ place in the conference -@KStateKyle via X.
Don’t hold me to this, because if K-State goes out and adds two promising International recruits and an impact transfer in the next few weeks my answer could change drastically.
But, based on the eight players that Jerome Tang has lined up as of now, my prediction would be 11th.
College basketball statistician Bart Torvik projects K-State as the No. 63 team heading into next season. For now, that is a small step back from last season when the Wildcats finished at No. 58.
The hard thing about moving your way up in the Big 12 is that the top teams aren’t going anywhere. Good luck passing Houston or BYU next season. Arizona, Kansas and Baylor are all bringing in elite recruits. Iowa State and Texas Tech are going to be good again.
So even if K-State hits some runs in the transfer portal, it is going to be hard for the Wildcats to finish better than eighth in the conference standings.
That being said, I really like the addition of Akron guard Nate Johnson. He is not only a talented scorer but also an elite defender. If the Wildcats can surround him with a talented point guard and a versatile forward then they might have a chance next season.
Tang is trying a different recruiting strategy as he looks to rebuild his roster this offseason. He is not chasing big-name transfers from power conferences. He is looking to find more players like Max Jones, who transferred up from Fullerton last season and made the most of his new surroundings.
Maybe bringing in unheralded players from winning mid-major programs is a good strategy.
Time will tell. But even if the Wildcats improve next season the Big 12 is going to be stingy.
Are you going to the baseball regional assuming they make it? If so, where do you selfishly want them to play? -Garrett S. via e-mail.
I would love to go to a NCAA Regional if the K-State baseball team reaches the NCAA Tournament.
My pick would selfishly be Austin, because that’s my hometown and it’s been more than a year since my last pilgrimage to Central Texas.
But the Bat Cats need to win some games down the stretch to have a shot at a Regional. A few weeks ago, some thought they might be able to host games in Manhattan. Now, they are among the last four teams in the projected field, per Baseball America.
Where is the after party going to be when KSU Women’s Golf wins the natty this year? Will we get a parade through Aggieville? -Garrett S. via e-mail.
Colbert Hills will be rocking all night long.
The parade for K-State’s first national championship in a team sport would start on Poyntz and end in Aggieville.
Does the NCAA know how to kill a kid’s football dreams, or is it just business? -@KStateKyle via X.
I agree with Chris Klieman.
Off the field, college sports are a “disaster.”
Transfers are out of control, nobody can seem to agree on how to regulate NIL and now college football coaches are being forced to cut walk-ons to comply with roster limits. Or maybe not? A federal judge doesn’t approve of the cuts, but the NCAA does. It’s a weird and volatile situation.
Klieman has already begun making cuts at K-State. And that’s an unfortunate situation. I don’t mind setting a roster limit. But why is 105 the perfect number? Why not 110, 115 or 120? As long as a team isn’t adding extra scholarship players, why shouldn’t it be allowed to carry as many walk-ons as it prefers?
It’s not like teams are regularly dipping that far into their reserves on game day. Visiting teams are only allowed to bring a certain number of players with them on the road. I don’t see much of an advantage in a team having more walk-ons than another.
So why regulate that part of the game?
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Chris Klieman, Wildcats in the NFL Draft and basketball predictions: K-State Q&A."