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.

#57 Beau Palmer

Redshirt Junior | 6-2 | 230 lbs. | Overland Park, Kansas

Courtesy Kansas State Athletics

• Position: Linebacker
• Previous College: None
• Projection: Third-String
• Status: Preferred Walk-On

Beau Palmer (b. July 5, 2001) is a preferred walk-on linebacker from Blue Valley High School in Overland Park who is majoring in marketing and is a housemate of tight end Ben Sinnott.

He redshirted and did not see any game action during the 2020 pandemic year, but played in two games in 2021, seeing time on kickoff coverage against both Nevada and Oklahoma.

Last season, Palmer played in six games as both a reserve linebacker and on special teams before an injury finally cut his season short. He totaled two tackles against both South Dakota and Missouri, and finished the season as a first-team Academic All-Big 12 performer.

Palmer projects as a continued reserve and special teams player in 2023 and beyond, but our deep scholarship linebacking corps likely will conspire to limit his playing time again.

He prepped under head coach Allen Terrell at Blue Valley, where he earned first-team all-state accolades from The Topeka Capital-Journal, The Wichita Eagle and the Kansas Football Coaches Association as a senior.

A two-time all-league linebacker, including first-team honors as a senior, Palmer totaled 161 career tackles for the Tigers, including 80 during his senior campaign.

He had four forced fumbles, two recoveries, a blocked punt return for a touchdown and a pick-six, and also lettered in track and field.

Palmer’s uncle, Adam Helm, was a legendary backup quarterback for K-State who lettered in both 1998 and 1999, while his grandfather, J.D. Helm, played football at Kansas, although we try not to hold that against Beau.

Here’s what Chris Klieman had to say about Palmer during the bye week in the 2021 season:

Beau Palmer ... (is) going to be (a) good inside linebacker. (But he) needs reps.