Two of Kansas State football's top in-state recruiting targets nearing decision time

The recruiting processes are mostly over for two of the top high school football prospects in the state of Kansas, and all that's left now is a final decision.

Junction City defensive standout Michael Boganowski and Lyndon lineman Kaedin Massey both took their final official visits last weekend to Kansas State and are heading for the home stretch.

Massey posted on social media Wednesday that he will announce his decision Thursday night, while Boganowski's timetable is a little more fluid. But neither plans to let it drag into their senior year.

"I think I'll probably make a decision sometime in July," said Boganowski, who will decide between K-State, Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida State. "I'm not too sure on the date, but I'd like to get it done before my (senior) season."

Massey will make his choice public at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in a ceremony at Lyndon High School.

"A picking the hat sort of thing," he said.

More: Kansas State football to entertain two top in-state recruiting targets this weekend

Michael Boganwoski, state's top high school prospect

Boganowski, a four-star prospect who is widely regarded as the state's top player in the Class of 2024, projects as an outside linebacker at the college level after playing more of a hybrid safety/linebacker role for Junction City High School. But at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and with a 40-yard dash time of 4.49 this summer, he could slot in as a safety as well.

Massey, who is ranked as high as No. 3 in the state, will switch back to the 11-man game after Lyndon switched to eight-man football his final two seasons. At 6-8, 280 pounds he is being recruited as an offensive tackle.

Both Boganowski and Massey were familiar with K-State's coaches, campus and facilities after previous unofficial visits before last weekend. They have been two of the Wildcats' primary 2024 in-state recruiting throughout the process.

Getting to know potential teammates

But in their final trip to Manhattan before decision day, they were looking for more of a bonding experience.

More: Being selective in the transfer portal has been a winning formula for Kansas State football

"I've been there a few times, but one of the key things that I was trying to get from that last visit was to spend time with more of the players," Massey said. "Because you get to build relationships with the coaches throughout the process, but you don't get to meet and hang out with a lot of the players.

"That was kind of the main goal."

Ditto for Boganowski.

"I talked to (players) briefly on visits, but this was the first time I really got to sit down and talk."

Boganowski said he had extended conversations with freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, the star recruit in last year's class, and senior safety Kobe Savage. Johnson also was Massey's host on the visit.

"He definitely has a vested interest with the offensive line," Massey said with a chuckle.

More: Kansas State football announces kickoff times for four of its first five games

Busy recruiting weekend for Wildcats

Boganowski and Massey weren't the only visitors in the last big summer recruiting weekend. Along for the ride were three players — quarterback Blake Barnett, athlete Jake Stonebraker and offensive lineman Ryan Howard — who already had committed to the Wildcats.

Barnett and Stonebraker are two of the top three prospects out of Colorado, while Howard is the younger brother of Wildcat quarterback Will Howard. Also visiting were St. Louis defensive end Caleb Redd and Scottsdale, Arizona, wide receiver Plas Johnson.

Boganowski and Massey, who in addition to K-State visited Mississippi, Oklahoma and Nebraska, both agreed that they gathered enough information over the past month to make informed decisions.

"The whole process went pretty good," Boganowski said. "I definitely got to see some things on these visits.

The same was true for Massey.

"I was very glad that I got to be able to go out and see all those places one more time with the official (visits)," he said. "But now I'm kind of to the point where I'm sitting here talking to may family, thinking through it all before I come down with a decision."

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: Two Kansas State football recruiting targets close to decision time