National Signing Day 2017 Roundup: Offense

With National Signing Day 2017 only a day away, it’s time to take a look at what recruits the Kansas State Wildcats coaches have secured for the newest class.

The offense did not lose many starters this year, and so the coaches focused more on defense with this class. There were no big question marks to fill here, no loss that doesn’t already have a succession plan. The offensive recruits are about building depth and getting a couple future playmakers on board. There is at least one guy at every position group, but the bulk of the class is along the offensive line.

*All star rankings are off of 247’s Composite ratings.

Linemen

The biggest part, literally, of the 2017 recruiting class is the offensive linemen coming to Manhattan next season. The smallest guy of the group is merely 6’5” 270lbs, but three are coming to K-State already over 300lbs. Also interesting, this was a strong year for linemen in Kansas, as four of the five are Kansas natives, and 11 Kansas o-linemen are headed to FCS or higher schools.

• Ben Adler, 3-star OL, 6’4” 310lb, Wichita, KS (Trinity Acedemy)
• Harrison Creed, 3-star OL, 6’4” 310lb, Ulysses, KS (Ulysses)
• Bill Kuduk, 2-star OL, 6’5” 280lb, Chicago, IL (Marist)
• Josh Rivas, 3-star OL, 6’6” 330lb, Hutchinson, KS (Hutchinson)
• Aidan Mills, 3-star OL/DL, 6’5” 270lb, Newton, KS (Newton)

Rivas is a big dude. And the largest recruit at his entrance to K-State for as long as recruiting services have kept data. When he committed back in June he was heralded as the gem of the 2017 class, and is still it’s top-rated lineman.

Adler and Creed share nearly identical measurements, and both are from Kansas high schools that have sent players to K-State in the last several years. Adler was a do-it-all player at Trinity, including handling punting duties occasionally. Creed didn’t have current-Wildcat Ian Rudzick running behind him this year, but Ulysses still put up good numbers on the ground.

Mills is still listed as an o-lineman for this class, but also put up good numbers on the defensive line in high school and could easily switch over to DT if needed.

Mills, Adler, Creed, and Rivas are the four highest-rated OL from the state of Kansas this year, so you call it a clean sweep of the hog-mollies by Coach Dickey.

RBs, WRs, and QBs

With so few recruits from these groups, we’ll just stick them all together (and since being an o-linemen actually takes skill, we won’t just call these guys “skill position” players).

• Sammy Wheeler, 3-star QB, 6’4” 200lb, Lenexa, KS (St. James Academy)
• Bernard Goodwater, 3-star RB, 5’9” 175lb, Dallas, TX (Carter)
• Spencer Misko, 3-star TE/DE, 6’5” 235lb, Keller, TX (Keller)
• Chabastian Taylor, 3-star WR, 6’4” 210lb, Giddings, TX (Giddings)
• Trace Kochever, 2-star TE/DE, 6’7” 230lb, Salina, KS (Salina South) (2016 Greyshirt)
• Carlos Strickland II, 4-star WR, 6’4” 200lb, Dallas, TX (California) (Transfer)

Wheeler was basically unknown in the spring, he didn’t start until his senior year at St. James, and until blowing up on the camp circuit and having a strong senior campaign he was still off the radar. Now he appears to be a lock to stay at QB for the Cats.

Goodwater had a strong year at perennial D-1 producer Dallas Carter. He committed back in June, and has stayed strong since. He’s undersized, so flew under the radar for a lot of big-name schools, but has big potential.

Taylor was an overlooked prospect until K-State came along. He committed to K-State back in October, and even with Baylor throwing strong interest his way he is still fully committed to the Wildcats.

Misko and Kochever are listed as a TE’s but could easily end up playing DE instead. Misko originally committed to Oklahoma State, but flipped to the Wildcats after the Cowboys pulled his scholarship offer. Kochevar was an early commit to the Wildcats 2016 class, but was always set up for the greyshirt path. He’s already on campus this spring.

The biggest name of this group is Strickland. Not officially a recruit, he will take a scholarship as a part of the 2017 class after transferring last spring from Cal. He was a highly-rated prospect coming out of high school, and wanted to transfer closer to his home in Dallas (only one Big 12 school is closer, time-wise thanks to direct flights, from Dallas; he also considered TCU). Strickland will be a heavy favorite to replace Deante Burton in the starting WR rotation.

Walk-ons

These are confirmed walk-ons from Kansas (h/t KPreps.com)

• Nick Ast, NR ATH, 6’6” 185lb, Cimarron, KS (Cimmaron)
• Ian Nordell, NR LB/TE, 6’4” 230lb, Concordia, KS (Concordia)
• Cornelius Ruff, NR RB, 5’11” 220lb, Kansas City, KS (KC Schlagle)
• Dylan Wentzel, NR WR, 6’0” 175lb, Salina, KS (Salina Central)

Ast was a QB at Cimmaron, and chose to walk-on at K-State over an offer from Fort Hays State. He may stay at QB, but has the frame to play TE or WR. Ruff was a 5A All-State running back, whose KC Schlagel lost to Sammy Wheeler’s St. James team in the 5A playoffs.

Jury’s Still Out

• Gervarrius Owens, 3-star S/WR, 6’2” 190lb, Moore, OK (Southmoore)
• Tancey Richardson, 3-star ATH, 5’11” 182lb, Aiken, SC (South Aiken)
• Caleb Sampson, 3-star DT, 6’3” 260lb, Covington, LA (Northlake Christian School)

Owens’ best spot is probably safety or linebacker, but since he could also play WR we’ll play a bit of cleanup and list him here. Owens originally committed to Memphis in July, but de-committed in October. He will be choosing on NSD between K-State, Purdue, Houston, and Memphis.

Richardson took an official visit to K-State last weekend, but only ESPN shows that he has an offer from the Cats. He hasn’t announced that he’s narrowed down his options, but does hold offers he appears to be strongly considering from South Carolina and Indiana, among others.

Sampson is another cleanup from the defensive list. He originally committed to Tulane during the summer, but de-committed in December and has since taken official visits to Missouri and K-State, who appear to be the two schools he will be choosing from on NSD.