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19 PLUS 3 DAYS TO (TENTATIVE) 2020 KICKOFF: Samuel Wheeler

In which BracketCat counts down the 22nd day until the 2020 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State tight end Samuel Wheeler.

By BracketCat
#19 Samuel Wheeler
In his first season as a tight end, Samuel Wheeler (19) registered a career-high two catches at Oklahoma and saw time in seven games before an injury cut his season short.
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Disclaimer: As the 2020 football season still is “technically” scheduled to proceed as planned in Manhattan, with the recent delay of our season opener until Sept. 12 against Arkansas State, we will reset and continue this Countdown for just a little bit longer...

#19 Samuel Wheeler

Redshirt Sophomore | 6-4 | 226 lbs. | Lenexa, Kansas
Samuel Wheeler
Samuel Wheeler
Courtesy Kansas State Athletics
  • Position: Tight End
  • Previous College: None
  • Projection: Second-String
  • Status: On Scholarship

Samuel Joseph Wheeler (b. May 18, 1999) was a young quarterback who originally signed with K-State as part of the 2017 class, but deferred his enrollment to the spring of 2018.

A prototypical dual-threat quarterback, Wheeler redshirted in 2018 and was a co-winner of the team’s Red Raider Award as the top contributor on the scout squad as a quarterback.

But that was then (Snyder 2.0) and this is now (Klieman). The new coaching staff moved Wheeler to tight end during spring practices in 2019 and he saw time in seven games before an injury cut his season short, finishing with four catches for 78 yards on the season.

Wheeler registered a career-high two catches at Oklahoma, while he had a 39-yard reception on the first play after a weather delay at Oklahoma State. He also earned second-team Academic All-Big 12 honors while majoring in kinesiology.

Wheeler played under head coach Tom Radke at St. James Academy in Lenexa, where he was rated the nation’s 39th-best dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2017 by ESPN and the sixth-best player in the state of Kansas by Scout.

He completed his career by throwing for 1,596 yards and 16 touchdowns on 121-of-274 aim, and he had a great senior season in which he tossed 13 touchdowns and threw for 1,187 yards en route to honorable mention all-league honors.

Wheeler also rushed for 634 career yards and five touchdowns, and was a member of the track and field team, participating in the high jump. He picked the Wildcats over an offer from Missouri Southern State and interest from Wyoming.

Wheeler’s father, Sean, and uncle, Mike, both were wide receivers on Bill Snyder’s first K-State team in 1989.