After a stretch of recruiting near-misses, Kansas State finally flipped the script with a big win: four-star edge rusher Tucker Ashford is headed to Manhattan.
Ashford, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound prospect from Fort Worth Christian (Texas), announced his verbal commitment to the Wildcats on Friday, choosing K-State over Illinois, Vanderbilt, and Houston.
Rated No. 61 in Texas and the No. 42 edge in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite, Ashford also held offers from Stanford, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Utah.
“I want to thank God for all the opportunities that He has given me! With that being said, I would like to announce my commitment to KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY,” he posted on X.
I want to thank God for all my Opportunities that He has given me! With that being said I would like to Announce my commitment to KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY #EMAW26 @_CoachDonald @CoachBuddyWyatt @CoachBGunn @_CoachMarshall_ @CoachMoH_ @car20ruiz @TXPSMedia @TXPrivateFBGuy… pic.twitter.com/J9nTFgBjJK
— Tucker “Tuck” Ashford (@TuckerAshford12) July 4, 2025
Ashford made official visits to all four of his finalists, including Kansas State on May 29. He also visited Vanderbilt (April 10), Illinois (June 6), and Houston (June 12).
Despite limited snaps last season, he produced 24 tackles, four sacks, and five touchdowns, flashing the versatility to line up on the edge or drop into space as a linebacker.
His commitment marks a key recruiting win for K-State, which had recently missed on several top targets.
Four-star tight end Ian Premer chose Notre Dame, safety Donovan Webb picked Texas Tech, and Arizona cornerback Mason Lewis committed to California. Four-star cornerback S’Vioarean Martin and wide receiver Mason James also chose other programs, despite listing the Wildcats as finalists.
Kansas State remains in the mix for several uncommitted high-profile players, including WR Chase Campbell (Wolfforth, TX), edge Ronelle Johnson (Blue Springs, MO), and DL Jae’Lin Battle (Edmond, OK).
The Wildcats head into the 2025 season with plenty of buzz and expectations to match.
Quarterback Avery Johnson returns after a breakout 2024 campaign, and he’ll be surrounded by a speedy skill group that includes Dylan Edwards, Joe Jackson, and Jayce Brown. On defense, veterans Austin Romaine and V.J. Payne anchor a group that returns experience and depth across the board.
K-State also retooled the offensive line via the transfer portal, adding Terrence Enos (Pitt) and J.B. Nelson (Penn State), both of whom are expected to compete for starting roles.
National recognition has followed. The Wildcats landed at 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 Big 12 team in the metric.
Kansas State opens the 2025 season on Aug. 23 against Iowa State in Dublin.