#35 Blake Richmeier

Redshirt Junior | 6-1 | 227 lbs. | Holcomb, Kansas

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

• Position: Linebacker
• Previous College: Butler Community College
• Projection: Special Teams
• Status: Preferred Walk-On

Blake Stanford Richmeier (b. Jan. 11, 1997) is a preferred walk-on linebacker from Butler Community College, where he played for one season before transferring to K-State. He then redshirted in 2016, so he has two more years to play two seasons.

In 2017, Richmeier played on kickoff coverage against Oklahoma State and UCLA in the Cactus Bowl. He started for the Purple team in the 2018 spring game, perhaps presaging more playing time in the upcoming season.

Prior to selecting the Grizzlies to begin his college education, Richmeier played his high school football at Holcomb High School under head coach Kent Teeter.

In addition to Butler, he received recruiting interest from Fort Hays State, Dodge City Community College and Garden City Community College.

Richmeier totaled 142 career tackles — 138 unassisted — with four interceptions and four sacks, and also rushed for 1,308 yards and 23 touchdowns during his high school career.

He helped the Longhorns to earn a 10-2 record during his senior season in 2014, when he recorded 101 tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

A 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker who also played in the Longhorns’ backfield, Richmeier was regarded as one of the top players in western Kansas during his junior and senior seasons.

During his senior season, he helped the Longhorns to advance to the Class 4A Division II semifinals, before losing to eventual champion Andale.

Richmeier rushed for a total of 1,308 yards and 23 touchdowns in his prep career.

He earned all-state honors as a linebacker from The Wichita Eagle and The Topeka Capital-Journal in 2014, and also earned first-team all-league and all-area honors as a junior and a senior.

“He’s a great kid and provided great leadership for us this past year,” Holcomb coach Kent Teeter said of Richmeier in a February 2015 interview with The Garden City Telegram. “He’s mature for his age. He has high goals and expectations, and has great leadership abilities.”

Richmeier tore his anterior cruciate ligament early in the second half of the 2014 loss to Andale, but his rehabilitation went well. He was selected to play for the West team in the 2015 Kansas Shrine Bowl.

Richmeier played in six games during 2015 at Butler Community College under head coach Tim Schaffner.

He recorded nine tackles, half a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, while he tallied a season-high four tackles against both Air Force Prep and Iowa Central Community College.