Kansas State football had high hopes for Dylan Edwards entering the 2025 season, but they didn’t last long. Edwards missed most of the year after suffering an injury in the Wildcats’ Week 0 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones in Dublin, Ireland.
To make matters worse, he re-entered the transfer portal and landed with the Kansas Jayhawks in early January.
Kansas State transfer RB Dylan Edwards has committed to Kansas.
— College Football Alerts (@CFBAlerts_) January 18, 2026
He has ran for 1,072 yards and 8 touchdowns in his career. He is one of the fastest players in CFB. pic.twitter.com/nqHoqfYKAp
Joe Jackson in the mix as Kansas State football reshapes running back depth
Joe Jackson’s return to Kansas State for the 2026 season should come as no surprise after the production he delivered a year ago. Against Utah, he set the program’s single game rushing record after logging 24 carries and 293 yards, topping a number held by Wildcats legend Darren Sproles since 2003.
Jackson added 110 yards on 27 carries against TCU and finished the season with 142 yards on 26 carries on Nov. 29 against Colorado. While he enters 2026 as the presumed starter, he’s far from the only option in the running back room.
The Wildcats also feature Oregon transfer Jay Harris, Oklahoma State transfer Rodney Fields Jr., Memphis transfer Makari Bodiford, and true freshmen Tanner West and Monterrio Elston Jr.
Fields emerged as the most productive of the newcomers, logging 124 carries for 614 yards in 2025. Bodiford showed efficiency in limited action, totaling 22 carries for 64 yards last season after averaging 7.1 yards per carry in 2024.
That leaves the pair of freshmen – two newcomers full of untapped potential. Roster spots held by West and Elston could evolve quickly, and surprises at the position are never out of the question once September arrives.
2026 screams standout year for RB Joe Jackson
Jackson’s third season with the Wildcats became a true breakout campaign. What began as a complementary role behind projected starter Dylan Edwards quickly turned into featured-back duties after Edwards’ injury in the 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Dublin limited him for most of 2025.
Jackson finished with eight rushing touchdowns, including an 80-yard score against Utah. He also proved to be a reliable receiving option, hauling in 22 catches for 119 yards and a 19-yard touchdown against North Dakota.
If that’s what he produced in his first season handling a full workload, the ceiling for 2026 – and even 2027, if he returns – is significantly higher.
The positive outlook for Kansas State football’s 2026 season
There’s plenty for fans to be excited about heading into 2026. Colin Klein returns to the Wildcats for the first time since 2012, Avery Johnson enters his senior campaign, and the roster is stacked with offensive potential.
Nonconference matchups against Nicholls, Washington State and Tulane set the tone before conference play begins against Cincinnati and Houston. And, of course, the Sunflower Showdown returns to The Little Apple.
If Jackson’s trajectory continues upward, Kansas State’s offense could become one of the most productive rushers in the Big 12 – maybe even one of the most dangerous in the country.
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