Kansas State football recruiting class 2024: Meet the new Wildcats, including transfers
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman and his staff got most of their 2024 recruiting work done in December, right in the middle of bowl preparations, which has made for a quiet February national signing day at the Vanier Football Complex on Wednesday.
The Wildcats signed a relatively small class of 13 high school players and two junior college transfers in December and did not anticipate adding to it.
K-State saw a mass exodus to the transfer portal leading up to the Pop-Tarts Bowl, with 14 departures, but have been selective in replacing them with only four scholarship transfers enrolled so far.
Here is a capsule summary of the players who signed in December, along with the four newcomers — a receiver, offensive lineman, defensive end, and safety. The capsules have been updated with the latest composite rankings from 247Sports.
Related: Grading Kansas State football's 2024 recruiting class: How did the Wildcats fare?
Related: Kansas State football keeping Conor Riley as offensive coordinator
HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS
QB Blake Barnett
Hometown/School: Erie, Colo. (Erie HS)
Vitals: 6-2, 205 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 625; position ranking: No. 38
S Callen Barta
Hometown/School: Topeka, Kan. (Seaman HS)
Vitals: 6-2, 180 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1348; position ranking: No. 126
WR Trae Davis
Hometown/School: Troup, Texas (Troup HS)
Vitals: 6-0, 170 pounds
247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 404; position ranking: No. 61
OT Gus Hawkins
Hometown/School: Shawnee, Kan. (Mill Valley HS)
Vitals: 6-6, 280 pounds
247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 234; position ranking: No. 19
OT Ryan Howard
Hometown/School: Downingtown, Pa. (Downingtown West HS)
Vitals: 6-7, 315 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 989; position ranking: No. 73
OT Kaedin Massey
Hometown/School: Lyndon, Kan. (Lyndon HS)
Vitals: 6-8, 280 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 546; position ranking: No. 42
LB Boone Morris
Hometown/School: Mount Vernon, Texas (Mount Vernon HS)
Vitals: 6-3, 225 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1549; position ranking: No. 141
RB John Price
Hometown/School: Stilwell, Kan. (Blue Valley HS)
Vitals: 5-11, 190 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 643; position ranking: No. 51
OL Kyle Rakers
Hometown/School: Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic HS)
Vitals: 6-4, 281 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1179; position ranking: No. 94
RB De Von Rice
Hometown/School: Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman HS)
Vitals: 5-9, 180 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1102; position ranking: No. 92 (athlete)
CB Zashon Rich
Hometown/School: Minneapolis, Minn. (North Senior HS)
Vitals: 6-2, 180 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1920; position ranking: No. 175
WR Jacques Spradley-Demps
Hometown/School: Pflugerville, Texas (Weiss HS)
Vitals: 6-1, 195
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 1097; position ranking: No. 146
LB Jake Stonebraker
Hometown/School: Castle Rock, Colo. (Douglas County HS)
Vitals: 6-1, 205 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 789; position ranking: No. 60 (athlete)
JUNIOR COLLEGE TRANSFERS
DT Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder
Hometown/School: Whitman, Mass. (Butler (Kan.) CC)
Vitals: 6-6, 295 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 23 (junior college); position ranking: No. 10
S Dante Thomas
Hometown/School: Hammond, La. (Southwest Mississippi CC)
Vitals: 6-1, 195 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 41 (junior college); position ranking: No. 4
TRANFER PORTAL ADDITIONS
DE Travis Bates
Hometown/School: Tomball, Texas (Austin Peay)
Vitals: 6-3, 265 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 466; position ranking: No. 36
WR Dante Cephas
Hometown/School: Pittsburgh (Penn State)
Vitals: 6-0, 193 pounds
247Sports Transfer rankings: three stars; national ranking: No. 333; position ranking: No. 44
OT Easton Kilty
Hometown/School: Stratford, Wisc. (North Dakota)
Vitals: 6-5, 305 pounds
247Sports Composite: four stars; national ranking: No. 93; position ranking: No. 5
SS Jordan Riley
Hometown/School: Fort Washington, Md. (Ball State)
Vitals: 6-1, 189 pounds
247Sports Composite: three stars; national ranking: No. 480; position ranking: No. 49
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football recruiting class 2024: Wildcats add 4 transfers
