Jaylen Pickle

True Freshman | 6-5 | 260 lbs. | Cimarron, Kansas

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

• Position: Defensive Tackle
• Previous College: None
• Projection: Redshirt
• Status: On Scholarship

Jaylen Brian Pickle (b. July 4, 1999) is a promising young three-tech defensive tackle prospect from Cimarron High School who plans on majoring in business administration and was the first commitment in the Wildcats’ Class of 2018.

He selected K-State over offers from South Dakota, Southern Illinois, UCF and Western Illinois, as well as strong regional interest from Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma State.

A four-year letter-winner for the Bluejays, including the final year under head coach Greg Koenig, Pickle was regarded as the third-best prospect in the state of Kansas and the 44th-best defensive tackle in the nation for the Class of 2018 by Rivals.

He also was rated the fourth-best player in the state of Kansas by 247Sports.

Pickle picked up honorable mention all-state honors as a junior in 2016 and as a senior in 2017 from The Topeka Capital-Journal and The Wichita Eagle, leading Cimarron to league and district championships each year.

He also was a four-year all-league player who totaled 50 tackles, including four tackles for loss, as a senior and a high school teammate of current K-State quarterback Nick Ast.

Pickle also lettered four years in basketball — earning all-league and all-state honors — three years in track and field, and one year in golf.

Despite rising interest toward the end of the early signing period, he stayed loyal to purple:

“People would still call to talk to you and try to get you to switch sides to them,” he said.

“I knew in my heart that this is where I wanted to be, so any school that called me, I just said thanks for calling, but I’m really into K-State. I listened to what they had to offer, but I knew where I wanted to be. No schools were going to overpower K-State in my mind.”