#58 Trent Tanking

Redshirt Senior | 6-2 | 224 lbs. | Holton, Kansas

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

• Position: Linebacker
• Previous College: None
• Projection: Starter
• Status: On Scholarship

Trenton Andrew Tanking (b. Nov. 19, 1994) is a former walk-on linebacker who has been a major factor on multiple special teams units during his career, while earning increased playing time on defense. He will compete for a starting spot at linebacker, while also continuing his special teams work, and was voted a team captain for 2017.

Tanking played in all 13 games in 2014 as a backup linebacker and special teams standout after a redshirt season in 2013. He recorded nine tackles and was fifth on the team with seven special teams tackles. All came on kickoff coverage.

Tanking also carded a career-high two tackles — both coming behind the line of scrimmage — against Oklahoma State.

In 2015, he saw time in eight contests, totaling seven special teams tackles. Tanking had five stops on kickoff coverage and two on punts. He tied his career high with two tackles against both West Virginia and in the 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Arkansas, and also had tackles against South Dakota, UTSA and Iowa State.

Last year, Tanking played in all 13 games and led the team with 12 special teams tackles, including nine on kickoff coverage. His 12 tackles on special teams were the most since Jonathan Truman also had 12 in 2012.

Pressed into duties at linebacker for a majority of the TCU game, Tanking set a career high with five tackles and intercepted a pass near the goal line on the final play of the game. He also broke up another pass against the Horned Frogs.

Tanking totaled four tackles against Florida Atlantic and collected another three at Iowa State. He was named a first-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree in 2014 and 2016.

Tanking played under former Kansas State linebacker Brooks Barta at Holton High School. He was named the Kansas Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year, and also to The Topeka Capital-Journal and The Wichita Eagle’s VarsityKansas.com Top 11 teams.

Tanking led the Holton Wildcats to a 2012 Kansas Class 4A state championship, and was named a first-team All-Kansas Class 4A performer at linebacker as a senior by both the Capital-Journal and the Eagle.

He was chosen to play in the 2013 Kansas Shrine Bowl, after being named an all-league performer at linebacker as a sophomore, junior and senior, and was an honorable mention All-Kansas Class 4A pick at linebacker in 2010 and 2011.

A three-time all-county selection at linebacker, Tanking helped Holton to earn three consecutive league titles. He also was a three-year letter-winner for the Wildcats’ basketball team, and an all-league and all-county pick at guard as a junior.

Ever the scholar, Tanking earned a 4.0 grade-point average, graduated summa cum laude and also was a Future Business Leaders of America Regional Champion.