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Another one slips away: K-State loses 4-star WR to Big 12 rival

Chase Campbell commits to Texas Tech, leaving Kansas State still searching for a cornerstone in its 2026 recruiting class.
ByBen Spicer|
Frenship's Chase Campbell runs with the ball against Lubbock-Cooper in a non-district football game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Pirate Stadium in Woodrow.
Frenship's Chase Campbell runs with the ball against Lubbock-Cooper in a non-district football game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Pirate Stadium in Woodrow. | Annie Rice/For the Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kansas State swung big for four-star wideout Chase Campbell—and missed again.

The Texas playmaker chose Texas Tech on Tuesday, continuing a tough run for the Wildcats on the recruiting trail.

Campbell, out of Frenship High School (Wolfforth, Texas), is ranked the No. 20 wide receiver and No. 21 overall player in Texas for the 2026 class, per 247Sports Composite.

A smooth route-runner with explosive acceleration, he posted 82 catches for 1,511 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior. He holds a 0.9385 composite rating and over 20 Power 5 offers.

Kansas State made his final three, but couldn’t close.

With Campbell’s commitment to the Red Raiders, K-State’s 2026 class still lacks a headliner.

It currently ranks No. 61 nationally and No. 13 in the Big 12 with 16 total commits.

It’s a far cry from recent cycles that featured blue-chip additions like five-star tight end Linkon Cure and four-star QB Avery Johnson, now the program’s centerpiece.

This year’s pattern has been familiar—and frustrating.

Four-star TE Ian Premer chose Notre Dame. Safety Donovan Webb is also headed to Texas Tech. CB Mason Lewis committed to Cal. Other targets like edge rusher Ronelle Johnson (Indiana) and DL Jae’Lin Battle (Baylor) slipped away too.

In-state, the rival Jayhawks are making moves. Kansas has already landed seven of the top 15 prospects in the Sunflower State, including four-star DB J.J. Dunnigan (Manhattan) and four-star OT Kaeden Snyder.

With momentum fading for the 2026 class, the Wildcats are turning an early eye toward 2027. OT Gus Corsair (Hays) and athlete Cooper Ohnmacht (Great Bend) have earned offers and are expected to be foundational targets.

Despite the recruiting setbacks, Kansas State enters the 2025 season with optimism.

The Wildcats are coming off a 9–4 finish and a wild 44–41 bowl win over Rutgers.

Avery Johnson returns at quarterback, joined by WR transfers Jerand Bradley (Texas Tech) and Jaron Tibbs (Purdue), while the O-line was retooled via the portal.

K-State opens the season Aug. 23 against Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland—and despite recruiting frustrations, enters the fall with Big 12 title dreams and College Football Playoff aspirations.