Why K-State will be good in 2017

lotthall · Oct 31, 2015

K-State will be very good in 2017 with this very young team getting experience in 2015 and 2016.
As long as Bill Snyder (and staff) are still here. Wide receiver is the biggest need for 2017.

1) Schedule will be flipped in our favor with TCU, Baylor, OU, ISU, and WVU at home.

2) We still have a couple recruiting cycles to pick up some juco's to fill any holes.

3) Will have a decent experienced Quarterback and even decent back-ups and maybe can convert one or two of these into a needed wide receiver.

Redshirt freshman Skylar Thompson 4 star #7 dual threat QB per 247 Sports (4.77s 40)
Redshirt junior Jonathan Banks 4 star dual threat QB per Rivals and was Northern California Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. (4.4s 40)
Junior Alex Delton #19 dual threat QB per 247 Sports (4.42s 40)
Medical Redshirt junior Jessie Ertz #32 pocket passer QB per ESPN and Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa Broke the Iowa high school state record for career touchdowns and ranked fifth in state history in career passing yardage (4.99s 40)
Redshirt junior Landon Root #50 pro-style QB per 247 Sports composite transfer from Northern Illinois (high school in Wichita) (4.55s 40)
Redshirt junior Zach Davidson #148 pro-style QB per 247 Sports (4.70s 40)

4) Offensive line - will likely need to get a few juco players for 2016 season that will carry over into 2017 but have a good foundation of current underclassmen that may make this a strength in 2017

Redshirt junior Center Dalton Risner #4 Center per 247 Sports
Redshirt junior OT Alex Ruth #30 OT per ESPN
Redshirt sophomore OT Scott Frantz #48 OT per Rivals
Redshirt sophomore OT Evan Curl #76 OT per Scout
Redshirt sophomore OG Tyler Mitchell #114 OG per 247 Sports
Redshirt senior OT Ajahne Brager #68 DT per 247 Sports
Redshirt senior OG Reid Najvar #51 OG per SigningDay
Redshirt sophomore OG Adam Holtorf #93 DT per 247 Sports
Redshirt sophomore OT Evan Applegate #97 OT per 247 Sports
Redshirt/Grayshirt junior OT Bryce Fitzner #41 TE per 247 Sports composite
Redshirt freshman OG Zach Shackelford #30 OG per Rivals
Redshirt freshman OG Blake Hickley #43 OG per Scout

5) Running backs (may look at picking up a juco in 2016) Winston Dimel is a solid fullback.

Redshirt junior Justin Silmon has proven to be a decent back as a redshirt freshman and should be a solid back by 2017.
Redshirt junior Dalvin Warmack by the time he is a junior may live up to hype of #11 all purpose back per Rivals.
Redshirt sophomore Alex Barnes #49 running back per ESPN
Redshirt sophomore Kalin Heath #39 running back per 247 Sports
Redshirt freshman Tre Bryant 4 star #7 running back per 247 Sports (cross your fingers that with Jerry Kill's retirement he does not pick Minnesota over K-State)

6) Wide receivers - Dominique Heath will be a star by the time he is a junior but back-ups is a weakness and needs to be shored up in recruiting by 2017. Tight ends should be experienced and improved by the time they are junior/senior.

Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Zuber #139 WR per 247 Sports composite
Redshirt sophomore Zach Reuter #245 WR per ESPN
Redshirt freshman Corey Sutton #108 WR per ESPN
Redshirt freshman Isaiah Harris #88 athlete per ESPN

7) Defense should be solid with a lot of young guys getting early experience Duke Shelly, Kendall Adams, Sean Newlan, Cre Moore, Tanner Wood, Matt Seiwart, Will Geary, Sam Sizelove, Elijah Lee, and Trent Tanking and fill any holes with some Juco players. Depth may be an issue if we get the injury bug like this year though.

8) Matthew McCrane as kicker will be a Senior (maybe even get a medical redshirt for an extra year) plus have a promising current freshman Nick McLellan and Nick Walsh as punter will be a Senior.

exheavycat · Oct 31, 2015