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Note I'm using the same introduction for all of these articles.
If you read any of the articles below, you've already read it.
I'd recommend skipping ahead to the table.
I'm going to move forward with the idea that the new "age-based" NCAA eligibility model will stick around in some form once all the legal challenges are exhausted.
It makes sense, and I'm not sure the schools are interested in the constant court battles over eligibility.
I get the feeling that some high-up folks went to check on the college athletics golden goose, and while it wasn't dead, it was missing some feathers.
This age-based model is an attempt to limit some long-term financial damage from disillusioned fans (mostly middle-aged and older) who were once the backbone of college athletics.
It feels like this is the first bone they've thrown the die-hard fans who care about this sort of stuff in a long while.
I wrote an article explaining the age-based model here.
The basic idea is that athletes get 5 seasons of eligibility if they enroll in school by age 19.
It prevents 27-year-old Euro pros from dominating college basketball as true freshmen and does away with the archaic redshirt rules in both football and basketball.
In theory, it also gets around the arbitrary NCAA eligibility "waiver" system, but I'll believe it when I see it in action.
The schools like hard-and-fast rules right up until the point when they think they should get an exception from said rules.
Anyways, this is how the new "age-based" model affects the football team moving forward.
I'll go through the roster by position group, and at the end I'll put it all together into a coherent roster with a bunch of information beyond what you find on other sites.
So, without further ado...
Interior Offensive Line # | Name | Pos | Recruiting Class | HS/JuCo/Portal | Home State | High School | HS Rating | Juco/Port | JuCo/Port Rating | Seasons at KSU | Eligibility Remaining | Name | 77 | Tanner Morley | IOL/G | 2023 | Portal | CO | Valor Christian | 3*(80.7) | Colorado State | 3*(86) | 0 | 2 | Tanner Morley | 57 | Delvin Morris | IOL/C | 2023 | Portal | TX | Caldwell | NR | Akron | 3*(85.5) | 0 | 2 | Delvin Morris | 79 | Charlie Adams | IOL/C | 2024 | Portal | CA | Cathedral | NR | Cal Poly | 3*(84.5) | 0 | 3 | Charlie Adams | 72 | Ryan Howard | IOL/G | 2024 | HighSchool | PA | Downington W | 3*(85.9) | NA | NA | 2 | 3 | Ryan Howard | 62 | Jordan Jensen | IOL/G | 2024 | JuCo | IA | Estherville Lincoln Central | NR | Iowa Central | 3*(85.3) | 0 | 3 | Jordan Jensen | 55 | Kyle Rakers | IOL/G-C | 2024 | High School | IA | Downing Catholic | 3*(85.2) | NA | NA | 2 | 3 | Kyle Rakers | 74 | Navarro Schunke | IOL/G | 2024 | High School | SD | Brandon Valley | 3*(88.2) | NA | NA | 2 | 3 | Navarro Schunke | 50 | Brock Heath | IOL/G | 2025 | High School | KS | Blue Valley NW | 3*(87) | NA | NA | 1 | 4 | Brock Heath | 54 | Keiton Jones | IOL/G | 2025 | Portal | KS | Field Kindley | 3*(89.1) | Missouri | 3*(87) | 0 | 4 | Keiton Jones | 71 | Dylan Villarouel | IOL/G-C | 2025 | High School | GA | North Forsyth | 3*(84.8) | NA | NA | 1 | 4 | Dylan Villarouel | 61 | Chase Duarte | IOL/G-C | 2025 | Portal | CA | Clayton Valley | 3*(82) | San Diego State | 3*(84.5) | 0 | 4 | Chase Duarte | 53 | Lamarcus Barber | IOL/G-C | 2026 | High School | KS | Mill Valley | 3*(86.5) | NA | NA | 0 | 5 | Lamarcus Barber | 64 | Bennett Fraser | IOL/G | 2026 | High School | MO | Kirsville | 3*(86.8) | NA | NA | 0 | 5 | Bennett Fraser | Eligibility Changes Charlie Adams, Jordan Jensen, and Chase Duarte all gained a season of eligibility after transferring from junior college.
Thoughts There's no shortage of options for the interior offensive line, but not much in the way of experience.
This was one position coach Klein had to fortify through the portal, again, not because of a lack of bodies, but because those bodies have been stuck behind long-term starters in Manhattan.
Tanner Morley was a key portal addition and has the inside track to the left guard spot.
The former Colorado State starter was named a team captain in 2025 but went down with an injury 4 games into the season.
At 6'6", 320, he has prototypical size for the position and moves well considering he's roughly the size of a Buick.
Unless something significant changes, it sounds like Morley is the one sure thing on the rebuilt interior.
I thought the center position wouldn't be decided until fall camp, but new offensive line coach Mike Schmidt seemingly shut it down when he indicated that Akron transfer Delvin Morris was going to be the man in the middle of the line.
Considering he is the only player on the roster to snap a ball in college football, that makes sense to me.
If there's one place you want an experienced player, it's center.
Kansas State wants to feature mobile offensive linemen, and that's Morris's calling card.
He's not the biggest offensive lineman.
He was listed at 280 at Akron last season.
He's listed at 293 now, and the strength and nutrition staff will work to get him as close to 300 pounds as possible without sacrificing his signature athleticism.
The right guard spot is wide open.
Portal additions Charlie Adams and Chase Duarte are in the mix, as well as Dylan Villaroul, who impressed as a true freshman last season.
At 6'3", 330, the massive Villarouel could help mitigate any issue Morris has with jumbo-sized nose guards.
Based on everything I've read and heard in interviews, Dylan is the real deal, with next-level size and talent.
If Morley wins the left guard job, as expected, the Wildcats could have two monstrous, but surprisingly mobile, guards flanking Morris at center.
This staff values offensive linemen who are good in pass protection and athletic enough to pull around and lead running backs through the hole.
If they can get that in two players who are 320+ pounds, you get road-grader size with pulling-guard mobility.
That's the best of both worlds.
I expect this coaching staff to utilize an offensive line rotation, especially on the interior.
Adams and Duarte both have ties to Coach Schmidt's time on the West Coast, with Duarte playing for him at San Diego State and Adams playing at Cal Poly.
They were brought to Manhattan for a reason.
I expect one, if not both, to be in the regular offensive line rotation.
After that, there's some interesting talent that hasn't shown up on the field just yet.
Missouri transfer Keiton Jones is universally considered the strongest player on the team.
He's setting weight-room records and oozing talent.
He could play at the next level if his skill level catches up with his immense physical traits.
I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the field in some capacity.
The only way a player like Jones gets better is by getting live reps.
It sounds like he could be an option in short-yardage and goal-line plays.
I also think it's time to see what Navarro Schunke can do.
I was high on him when K-State signed him out of South Dakota.
He was an elite wrestler in high school, and I love former wrestlers on the offensive line.
This is his third year in the program, and he has yet to see the field.
It feels like the clock is ticking on a one of the highest rated high school linemen on the roster.
Moving Forward What this roster lacks in experience, they make up for in potential moving forward.
In theory, everyone in the room can return next season.
That won't happen, of course, but Adam, Duarte and Jordan Jensen receiving an additional season of eligibility was a nice bonus.
The interior of the K-State line is one of the biggest questions on the roster.
This staff has several potential answers at its disposal.
It's up to them to figure out how to turn a group long on talent and short on experience into the cohesive unit required to run Collin Klein's offense.