NOTE: Kansas State has elected to advance players’ classification even though the 2020 season did not affect eligibility. Those who wish to take advantage of this extra year will be listed as a (“super”) senior again after their original eligibility would have been exhausted.

Goal No. 9: ELIMINATE MISTAKES. Don’t beat yourself.

#9 Cincere Mason

Redshirt Super Senior | 6-0 | 215 lbs. | Atlanta, Georgia

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

• Position: Safety
• Previous College: Kennesaw State University
• Projection: Second-String
• Status: On Scholarship

Cincere Mason (b. Dec. 16, 1998) is a transfer defensive back from Kennesaw State who had played in 31 career games, with 28 starts, for the Owls over two seasons, plus a shortened spring 2021 season. He is pursuing his master of business administration degree at K-State.

Mason played in nine of the first 10 games — including a start against Oklahoma — until an injury cut his 2021 season short.

Despite this setback, he tallied a season-high three tackles in the opener against Stanford, plus two apiece against Nevada, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Kansas.

Mason also registered a tackle for loss against TCU and broke up a pass at Oklahoma State.

He figures to continue as an important part of the safety rotation in 2022 — maybe a starter.

Mason, who began his high school career at South Cobb High School before transferring, finished his prep career under head coach Earthwind Moreland at Grady High School in Atlanta, where he earned first-team All-Region 6-AAAAA honors as both a safety and punt returner during his senior campaign.

He helped Grady to earn a 10-2 record in 2016 and an undefeated 7-0 mark in region play.

Mason redshirted in 2017 at Kennesaw State and played in 12 games in 2018, making 10 starts at safety as a freshman. He recorded a team-high four interceptions to rank second in the Big South Conference and picked off a pass in each of the final three games of the 2018 season, including one in each FCS playoff game against Wofford and South Dakota State.

Mason tallied a career-high three passes defended at Tennessee Tech, recovered a fumble at Charleston Southern, and had multiple tackles in nine games, including a season-best four in the FCS playoff game against Wofford.

He then started all 14 games in 2019 for the No. 3 total defense in FCS and recorded three pass breakups, including two at No. 3 Weber State in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

Mason tallied his fifth career interception in the final game of the regular season against Gardner-Webb and had a season-high six tackles at Campbell.

He also forced a fumble at Presbyterian College and recovered a fumble at No. 11 Wofford on Nov. 30, 2019, in the opening round of the FCS Playoffs.

Mason saw action in all five games of the Owls’ pandemic-shortened 2021 spring season, with starts in each of the final four games. He had a season-high two passes defended against Dixie State and Robert Morris, and also recovered a fumble in the latter contest.

Mason ended the unconventional season with a career-best seven tackles — which included a tackle for loss — at Monmouth.