The calendar is officially flipping over to Thursday, and for football fans, it's time to look ahead to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. In terms of excitement for Kansas State football, it's nothing more than a buffer ahead of hearing its former players' names called.
Three key observations ahead of 2026 NFL Draft opening rounds
At the time of publication, there aren't any former Kansas State Wildcats expected to fall off the board in the first round. There is, however, some talks around the same positions played by both Sam Hecht and VJ Payne.
At the safety position, the opening round is likely to see Ohio State's Caleb Downs fall off the board first. Current big board projections favor Downs along with fellow Buckeyes edge Arvell Reese and linebacker Sonny Styles.
Carnell Tate, another familiar Ohio State name, is among the top receivers in the conversation. Unfortunately for Kansas State, the takeaway is not having any players slated in the opening round.
That doesn’t mean the Big 12 goes unrecognized. Texas Tech edge David Bailey, Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson, and Utah linemen Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu represent the conference among the top 32.
#KState with another Offensive Lineman ready to make an impact in the NFL. Former @MVJaguar Sam Hecht (@samhecht23) worked his way from Mill Valley, to being a walk-on at K-State, to expecting to hear his name called in the upcoming #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/jQGFJ2bLMo
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) April 22, 2026
Favoring the trenches over skill positions
There aren't many options this year for teams looking at Kansas State. Of this season's NFL Combine invitees, only Payne, a projected late-round pick plays a skill position. For teams in the market for players in the trenches, this works in favor for Hecht, the other guy in the conversation. The Wildcats are known for their offensive and defensive line picks.
Some notable past names include Dalton Risner, Cody Whitehair, even Barrett Brooks if you rewind to 1995. However, that's not to say other notable skill players haven't come out of Kansas State. In recent years, players like Tyler Lockett, Terence Newman, Darren Sproles, even Jordy Nelson are all recent examples.
Another offensive line player, Cooper Beebee, faced similar projections to Hecht out of college. Like where Hecht is projected, Beebee went in the third round. If it's any promise, he's shown skill with the Dallas Cowboys with many of Hecht's same characteristics.
Wildcats continue producing NFL caliber talent
Prior to this season's draft, the Wildcats have seen at least one former player get drafted in each of the last 26 seasons. It's a streak that dates back to 1994. For programs to consider themselves elite at the college level, that's the type of consistence that's needed.
Even with just two names in the mix this year, the trend of continuous draft picks doesn't show any signs of slowing. Under first-year head coach Collin Klein, the number could spike. Given the current landscape, it's not uncommon for players to favor the NCAA ranks.
If Klein fosters the sort of culture that pushes athletes to the professional leagues, that extra time frame in college is beneficial. It could see players, transfers especially, utilizing that time frame not only for financial gain, but further developmental reasoning.
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