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Phil Steele’s All-Big 12 teams are out — and K-State’s all over them

Seven Wildcats earn preseason All-Big 12 honors
ByBen Spicer|
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back Dylan Edwards (3) runs for a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back Dylan Edwards (3) runs for a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dylan Edwards torched Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. Now, he’s leading a pack of seven Kansas State players recognized by Phil Steele on his 2025 preseason All-Big 12 teams.

Edwards and linebacker Austin Romaine earned First Team honors, while quarterback Avery Johnson, tight end Garrett Oakley, and center Sam Hecht landed on the Second Team.

Safety VJ Payne was named to the Third Team, and wide receiver Jayce Brown rounded out the group on the Fourth Team.

Edwards rushed for 546 yards and five touchdowns on just 74 carries in 2024, adding 133 receiving yards and two more scores. His breakout moment came in the postseason, when he ran wild for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns — plus another score through the air — in the Rate Bowl win over Rutgers. He was named Offensive MVP of the game.

On defense, Romaine was the tone-setter. The junior linebacker led K-State with 96 tackles, tacked on 7.5 tackles for loss, and forced three fumbles. He also added two sacks and a pair of pass breakups in a breakout campaign.

The Wildcats head into 2025 with big expectations and plenty of national buzz.

Quarterback Avery Johnson returns after a strong finish last season, steering an offense that features Edwards, Jayce Brown, and rising talent Joe Jackson. On defense, Romaine and Payne provide veteran leadership for a unit loaded with athleticism.

Kansas State enters the fall ranked No. 12 in USA Today’s preseason Top 25, No. 16 in Joel Klatt’s post-spring rankings, and No. 21 in ESPN’s Football Power Index — the top mark among Big 12 teams.

And the opener? It’s a headliner.

“Farmageddon” goes overseas, as Kansas State meets Iowa State in an international edition of their long-running rivalry. If projections hold, the rematch could come with a Big 12 championship at stake.