Kansas State RB transfer comes with big numbers and bigger potential

Antonio Martin Jr., a running back from Southeastern Louisiana, has committed to Kansas State via the transfer portal, according to social media reports.

Martin, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound sophomore, rushed for 1,228 yards and 11 touchdowns on 230 carries last season.

Louisiana-Monroe running back Antonio Martin Jr. is signing with Kansas State, his agent @IanJohnsonAce tells @On3sports.

Rushed for 1,228 yards on 230 carries for 11 touchdowns in 2024 at Southeastern Louisiana.https://t.co/wMrfFrcNOy pic.twitter.com/puCQSr4UFO
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) May 1, 2025

A former four-star recruit, Martin originally signed with Georgia Tech out of high school and redshirted in 2022 for the Yellow Jackets. He then transferred to Blinn Junior College, where he ran for 603 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. He played the 2024 season at Southeastern Louisiana.

Martin joins a running back room that includes projected starter Dylan Edwards, along with promising underclassmen Joe Jackson and JB Price.

The team also added veteran Gabe Ervin Jr. from Nebraska via the portal, though he has struggled with injuries and ultimately chose to retire according to reports. Meanwhile, La’James White departed the program. Depth and durability remain key concerns heading into the 2025 season.

Kansas State has clearly been active in the spring transfer portal looking for a running back, with reports also indicating that former UNLV and Texas State running back Greg Burrell was interested in visiting Manhattan.

Kansas State saw its starter from last year, D.J. Giddens, get selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 151 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was a consistent force in Manhattan, rushing for over 1,200 yards in each of the last two seasons and scoring 23 career touchdowns on the ground.

The Wildcats finished last season with a 9–4 overall record and a 5–4 mark in conference play, despite being considered a preseason favorite. They capped off their season with a 44–41 victory over Rutgers in their bowl game on Dec. 26.