Collin Klein wants to bring a national approach to K-State football recruiting
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Klein commits Kansas State to national recruiting, expanding beyond regional focus.
- He targets Texas and Colorado using Aggies ties and personal roots to recruit.
- Early commitments include three-star DB Josiah Vilmael and TE Arley Morrell.
Collin Klein plans to cast a wide net when it comes to recruiting with the Kansas State football team.
“Like most Power 4 programs in this day and age,” Klein, hired Dec. 4 as K-State’s next head coach, said earlier this week, “it’s going to be a pretty national effort.”
Klein made that comment during a news conference in College Station as he prepared to call offensive plays for Texas A&M in its playoff opener against Miami on Saturday at Kyle Field.
In the past, K-State has focused on recruiting specific regions rather than all 50 states. Former coach Chris Klieman preached an “inside out” approach that prioritized local and regional recruits.
For that reason, the vast majority of players on his rosters came from nearby areas. This season, 33 hailed from the Sunflower State, 14 came from Texas and eight each made the jump from Missouri and Florida. Rounding out the top five was Nebraska with six products.
Players from 25 different states suited up for K-State this season.
A few states were noticeably absent: Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington. Perhaps Klein can help K-State find more success in those areas moving forward.
Or maybe Klein can give K-State a boost in some familiar states. Two in particular seem to fall into his wheelhouse. Before he was a star quarterback for the Wildcats, he grew up in Colorado. That state will be important to him.
He has also spent the past two seasons recruiting hard in Texas. The relationships he built during his time with the Aggies could pay dividends now that he is a head coach.
“It’s trying to find the right fits and the right people and the right type of players in those positions,” Klein said. “Texas has a lot of those ... There are definitely a lot of good players in Texas.”
Klein hasn’t done much recruiting since he was hired at K-State, but he has secured a commitment from three-star defensive back Josiah Vilmael. He hails from Richmond, Texas and pledged to the Wildcats almost immediately after Klien arrived in Manhattan.
Arley Morrell, a tight end from Pratt, also flipped from Iowa State to K-State after receiving a scholarship offer from Klein.
Both of those players reside in K-State’s current recruiting footprint. But it might look a little better next year.
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Collin Klein wants to bring a national approach to K-State football recruiting."