Kansas State football adds offensive line transfer from and 2024 high school receiver
After a rough few weeks in the transfer portal, Kansas State football has reversed its fortunes with two key recruiting additions.
The Wildcats reached into the portal to snag coveted offensive lineman Easton Kilty from North Dakota, and also picked up a commitment from talented high school receiver Trae Davis of Troup, Texas.
Kilty, one of the top-rated offensive linemen available, is the Wildcats' first transfer addition after losing 16 players to the portal since the end of the regular season. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound lineman from Stafford, Wisconsin, was a three-year starter at North Dakota.
Coach Chris Klieman's Wildcats will face North Carolina State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Dec. 28 in Orlando, Florida.
What makes Kilty such a valuable addition for the Wildcats is his versatility. He started at right tackle and left guard as a redshirt freshman, right guard as a sophomore, and then every game at left tackle this season.
Related: Kansas State football's transfer portal departures piling up following regular season
K-State faces a major rebuild on the line with at least four starters — senior All-America left guard Cooper Beebe, super-senior left tackle KT Leveston, super-senior center Hayden Gillum and right tackle Christian Duffie — all departing. Right guard Hadley Panzer and Carver Willis, who started at right tackle early in the season, are eligible to return, as is senior guard Taylor Poitier, should he choose to come back for a fifth season.
The Wildcats grabbed Davis, a speedy 6-foot, 170-pounder from the high school ranks after he decommitted from Washington State in November. Davis, a four-star prospect from On3 and ESPN and rated three stars by Rivals and 247Sports, caught 67 passes for 1,245 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at Troup High School.
K-State must replace leading receiver Phillip Brooks from this year's team, as well as backups RJ Garcia and Xavier Loyd, who entered the transfer portal.
Troup is the 12th high school player to commit to the Wildcats ahead of early signing day a week from Wednesday.
2024 K-State football commitment list
2024 RECRUITING COMMITMENTS
High school players
Blake Barnett — 6-2, 205, quarterback, Erie, Colo.
Callen Barta — 6-2, 180, safety, Topeka
Trae Davis — 6-0, 170, wide receiver, Troup, Texas.
Gus Hawkins — 6-6, 270, offensive lineman, Shawnee
Kaedin Massey — 6-8, 280, offensive tackle, Lyndon
Ryan Howard — 6-7, 305, offensive tackle, Downingtown, Pa.
Boone Morris — 6-2, 220, linebacker, Mount Vernon, Texas.
John Price — 5-11, 190, running back, Stilwell
Kyle Rakers — 6-4, 281, offensive lineman, Des Moines, Iowa
Zashon Rich — 6-2, 180, cornerback, Minneapolis, Minn.
Jacques Spradley-Demps — 6-1, 195, wide receiver, Pflugerville, Texas
Jake Stonebraker — 6-1, 200, athlete, Castle Rock, Colo.
Transfer portal additions
Easton Kilty — 6-5, 205, offensive tackle, North Dakota
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football lands lineman transfer, high school receiver
