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Podcast: Locked On Kansas State - Daily Podcast on Kansas State Wildcats Football & Basketball Episode: DANGEROUS: Kansas State’s NEW Wide Receiver Room Could Unlock Avery Johnson Transcript: It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Get your daily college sports fix completely ad-free with a 7-day free trial to the Everyday Or Club. Listen to your favorite schools locked on podcast without the interruptions and unlock an exclusive invite to our members-only Discord chat to talk team news 24-7 with die-hard fans. Join the club right now by tapping the link in the show notes to claim your free trial. As football season usually approaches, typically we in the media, typically over-hyped a team. Or we try to say it's going to be different this year. In some cases, it could be a specific position. In which last year's case, from wide receiver room, there were several people including myself saying it's going to be different this year, just with some of the guys they brought in. It was different last year. I thought honestly the production matched pretty much did on with the words that we heard prior to the season before everything got started. Now, a lot of it had to do with just the emergence of Chase Brown, but we were also pretty excited about Jerome Tibbs and Jerome Bradley for the most part too. I think those guys were being far better than we ever anticipated last year, Christian. Especially with what they were able to get for K-State early on towards the year with Jerome Bradley keeping things close against Iowa State and just being a Maustrides. He was able to make before his near-season injury. I think he came back but he didn't play too much of a factor late in the year. But Jerome Tibbs was certainly really the connecting pace for Avery for on-app the season when the two guys were all banged up. But now, K-State brings back really only three kind of four receivers from last year's team. Only one of them had more than 60 yards receiving. And you're going to be relying on three transvers and perhaps even more to also fill it in as well. So you got, I would say you got more depth, definitely more of them last year. And that was clear when Jer Bradley and Chase Brown went down last year. You know, everyone tends to fix the IPA Utah game where K-State had to rely on 13 personnel all night trying to rotate players, keeping fresh legs on the field. But it wasn't there. What was Abraham, people would keep telling me like what was Abraham Johnson doing on that pick? Nobody knows that K-State was in a two-minute drill with three tight ends. And not the best receiving targets possible. So that was kind of a nightmare scenario. But I think this year K-State has more talent depth this year certainly than it has last year and even the years before that too. Yeah, let's look at this roster as a whole. This room as a whole and maybe even talk about every single player in this wide receiver room. Like that's what I wanted to go to on this one. Kind of a deep dive, a primer of this wide receiver room heading into the off season. And I know it just kind of tees with the portal. But let's talk about someone who was there last year. That might be the familiar face, at least for Avery Johnson in the room. And that is Jerin Tibs as you've mentioned. He comes over from Purdue this past season. He's what Kansas State in 2025. And he makes a jump up in his progression. And you're coming over from Purdue, which was the worst team in college football. And I remember talking about Jerin Tibs when he came over from Kansas State. And you could tell it's like it's hard to tell if he's going to his performance is actually good or not because of how bad Purdue actually was in 2024. But I think he really shined in his role last year. He went from 25 receptions to 47 at Kansas State. He went from 305 yards to 595 yards at Kansas State. And he picked up three touchdowns last year while he was at it as well. I think we're going to see another progression from Jerin Tibs this year. Yeah. If you were to tell me right now, at this point of the off season of which it's too early for everything quite literally. No way. No. No ways. I mean we got all kinds of content to fill in. Obviously, I would say Jerin Tibs, he edges out as the number one guy right now as far as we top wide receiver and Avery's top target right now. I think his connection with Avery gives him a real leg up really outside of Adonis Moise or Sterling Lock and no one else on a roster has even caught a pass from Avery Johnson in a game situation yet. So that should open doors perhaps, especially with some design and intermediate throws to keep defenses honest a little bit. I was yelling so much for more deep shots for drawn Ted last year. He's got a knack for going up. Snagging contestant balls when it counts. I could certainly see him pacing the team and catches this year. And if the season kicked up tomorrow, he'd certainly be my wide receiver wide receiver one for sure. Yeah, I think I'm agreeing with you on that one. And I don't if you look at that, some people might say, well, that's a bad thing. That's not a good thing. We wanted, you know, Jase Brown was wide receiver one last year. There was a huge connection between Avery Johnson and Jase Brown, not just the, you know, on the field performance, but they had an off the field relationship as well. And that is something that is potentially missing in this wide receiver room in 2025 or in 26, excuse me, or is it because then you bring another transfer portal from Rogers from Mizzou in Joshua Manning, who has a relationship with Avery Johnson off the field. And now you hope that maybe he can help fill the void of getting that that step forward. This is somebody who potentially was going to be at case at one point decides to go to Mizzou finally lands with the Wildcats last year in 2025, 29 receptions or 319 yards, two touchdowns to me. And I'm a sucker for segues. But to me, what Joshua Manning showed in 2025 reminds me of what Tibbs did at Purdue in 2024. Could you see that type of production shift for Josh Manning, just like we saw from Tibbs this past season? Man, you hit it right on the noggin because I was going to bring up that same comparison as well. For context as well, Josh Manning, on the other hand, he had 318 yards last season at Missouri. But it's not crazy to think that, well, Josh Manning's time in Missouri, it was very similar to what Tibbs had at Purdue, and his numbers up are produced and it necessarily blow you away, but the quarterback situation was awful. Everything was awful at Purdue, but the quarterback situation was really bad. The quarterback situation in Missouri was just as bad because you lose your starter in week one of a year, and everything just kind of goes pear-shaped with both paribulag, kind of checking in. And he was off to the end of the day. And he was off to a great start last year, but it just kind of fell off the rails last season. So, you know, I think it's a very interesting parallel for sure. I think that is just, that's pretty much the comparison I make. I mean, what if I relationship already with Avery? Maybe you can already get these sense in the feeling that maybe those two might be a little bit more connected, and perhaps it gives them more of a leeway when it comes to be situational moments in certain games. Yeah, I'm excited to see what Josh did. Hand and can do for Kansas State this year. I do think that he has way more upside than he was that he wasn't given at Mizzou last year under Kirby Moore's offense who's now the head coach at Washington State so they will see each other on the field this year in Manhattan. One more before we go to break here, I do think that this is a player that, to me, I'm interested to see his upside and I think he can be a red zone threat but right before we hit record on today's show we are kind of talking about we were lined up today's show and you talked about how Derek Sally Jr. the Juco product from Hutchison Community College we've been really excited about him but you kind of alluded to the fact that Juco products Juco wide receivers haven't always worked out the best at Kansas State. Yeah no it's it's a big big kind of tender well not just really a case day it's kind of applied more so for a lot of these power schools but he was the I personally believe he was the top Juco prospect wide receiver prospect in the country at the wide receiver position so hopefully we can get some more positive buzz on him you just I mean I don't think the Juco kids don't always pin on it but at the power for not not just a case tape but nation wide as well so that bears that aspect as well but I do think Derek Sally could be the one to kind of break out the mold and I guess maybe as well because he still has a little bit of time as well junior college wide outs typically take a year or two to develop as well but Sally could be a real threat near the goal line as well with his jump ball abilities as well so I wouldn't rule him out yet either I wouldn't rule him out of either I think he's got as big as a shot as as anybody else and now his two years at Hutchison Community College he brought in 71 receptions for over 1,100 yards in 18 touchdowns that's a red zone threat that I've heard you know if you want to call one out for sure six three two hundred and fifteen pounds Derek Sally junior look we can talk about the tight end room which we will in another episode how great they were just two years ago in leading the country in red zone touchdowns that might not even spread they might even sniff that if a guy like Derek Sally can be a red zone threat something you hope to happen in 2026 on the other side we've got some more wide receivers to talk about some more portals and who could potentially be some breakout candidates for the cats in 2026 we'll do that next right here on Lockdown Kansas State but first this episode of Lockdown Kansas State is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage if you've ever opened your bank account and thought where did all my money go well guess what you're not alone keeping track of your subscriptions spending in bills can get overwhelming 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is the job for indeed sponsored jobs yes welcome back to the show thanks for making lockdown Kansas eight your first list another day and thanks for making the lockdown podcast network the number one sports podcast network in the world if you want even more consider going every day or club go to lock down Kansas state dot supercast dot com the check the show us below for more information we're group of john grove of go power cat dot com and we're talking wide receivers today it's all wide receivers on today's episode of lock down Kansas state and we talk manning we talked to his we talked Sally here's one though that I think could be really fun and we've seen him on ESPN and Sports Center's top 10 last year when he was playing for Hawaii and that's Brandon White I think Brandon White could be a really fun piece and dare I say a breakout candidate for 2026 on this roster let alone the receiver room yeah no I think it's definitely possible for sure I believe you if anything you was the number three target for Hawaii last year and that wasn't really an indictment last year on how we performed it was just on how Hawaii's offense operated just slinging the ball everywhere I think he certainly has a lot of potential if and he's kind of I would agree with you he's kind of in the wildcard range in which we don't know as far as how many reps will get or or position wise like well where a hail stand compared to the rest of the wide receivers but I'd have to put them I mean you'd have you'd probably have to put them around but the three to four range if if I'd have to be completely honest with you and especially that that touchdown he had against California me the you alluded to it the Sports Center top 10 play he had against California I think that was on Christmas Eve too which makes it even more cool that that really made me stoked for for the amount of potential that he has but he could bring to this wide receiver unit for sure yeah this is a guy with power 4 experience too this is somebody who came from Hawaii but in his first season he did play for Kentucky as well so he's got SEC experience playing for Kentucky playing for Hawaii you know this is somebody that also I thought that maybe potentially could find a role in the return game as well when I was trying to figure out who's going to fill you know Bryce Nuremberg's role things like that Brandon White's name did pop up for trying to potential suitor but he's only got two kick returns in his collegiate career both of them over 20 yards but I wonder if that means anything moving forward on the season I'm excited to see what Brandon White can do though because what I saw from the highlights what I brought off from the stats but I saw from when I watched some late Hawaii games when they you know they kick off they're the only game happening on TV and being a college with both sicko like myself I did watch a ton of Hawaii games last year played a lot bigger than that 5 8 170 structure and if you would have told me that he was 6 2 I would have believed you and then when you look back and look at this roster and you see his 5 8 I think that's only a good thing for what he can do and maybe create space on the field for Avery Johnson so super excited what to get for Brandon White the last really big portal piece that came over from Kansas State this year was the only player that followed Colin Klein from Texas A&M the Kansas State and that's Isaiah Williams I think another kid with really high upside but I'm wanted to just see a little bit more six foot sophomore coming into the season only saw 12 games as a reserve receiver at Texas A&M and only saw less than a hundred offensive snaps what type of production what type of progression do you think we can see from him this season I well first again another one of these disclaimers and look at looking also I'm shocked that he was the only Texas A&M guy to follow Colin Klein yeah that shocked me completely for sure but Williams I believe he was working on the outside and then the slumper Texas A&M but you already I got I imagine what Tib's amending already kind of working towards more on the outside I think we should see the majority of snaps lined up on the inside for K-State and I think if anything we will probably see them on more competition because I mentioned Brandon White he was gonna be kind of more of a three-year-four same kind of a lose with as with Isaiah Williams as well maybe Derek Sally I'm not sure it's kind of a mix between those three I put tips of course and number one amending and number two I think those ones are all very solid but it's easy it's easy to see several of these prospects trading off big games and Isaiah Williams you could perhaps make that case as well I think K-State if I'm being completely honest Christian we could see something very reminiscent to 2022 or in years passing 2017 as well where you could see several of these like a player have a have the best game and four or five instances and you could see another guy have another big game I'm very intrigued to see how everything plays out with this case state wide receiver core. I'm very intrigued as well to see how Colin Klein is able to operate with the amount of wide receivers he has as well. And the tweaks I might roll out, can case states receive a room actually click this year? If you plug this current group into last year's offense, you can see how it's going to be. And we'd all be skeptical. Because who would be calling the plays, right? And we're banking on Colin Klein's genius and whoever else is, it's common shots at that war probably, the assistant coach ties. And he was there coincide with Colin Klein's first year when they won the big 12. So they'd be going things together. So we'll see if they're able to benefit office style, especially when they don't. They don't have a top 15 to top 20 wide receiver who demanded like an elite stud. So we'll see if Colin just kind of finises around it or something like that. Yeah, I wonder how much of a true, for lack of a better term, rotation will happen with this wide receiver room this year because there are a lot of players. And that's what we're talking about that when we go down this roster. Some of these players aren't going to get a lot of snaps. You know, if you're lucky if they find themselves with a hundred offensive snaps with some of these players this year because the wide receiver room is so deep. When it comes to players, who will stick out, who will really make that next impact is going to be the biggest question for sure. And the biggest question is, will it be youth? Will it be somebody like, or will it be somebody like a special team, or is it like Sterling Lockett, who doesn't really have an opportunity wide receiver? Does that change in 2026? Or do you see some freshman impacts happening for the cats as well? We'll do more of this conversation. On the other side, right here, I'm locked on Kansas State. This episode is brought to you by Wayfair. Your outdoor space should feel like you. It's one of those spots you keep meaning to fix up, but you never get around to it. Well, that's where Wayfair comes in. The perfect time for it springs in the air, summers right around the wind, right around the corner. And they make it easy to find pieces that match the vibe you wanted. I love how easy it is to filter by style, color, budget you name it. You can easily find exactly what fits your space and get that vibe you deserve. They have everything in just one place all in Wayfair. Seating that you be correlating every outdoor rug you could think of. It's awesome. And with thousands of verified reviews, you can feel confident in what you're getting. So get prepped for patio season for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now. The Shop All Things Home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair. Every style. Every home. The wide receiver room is loaded, in my opinion. I do think this is a loaded wide receiver room, and it just might not be the same way that you see this wide receiver room as in past. You don't maybe have a true number one. Maybe there's a battle for number one once fall camp comes around. But I do think it's going to be a really exciting room heading in the Colin Clines first year. Regrew McJohn Grove, GoPowerCat.com right here on Lockdown, Kansas State. And we've talked about the portal impacts. We've talked about some of the top returners. Speaking of returners, how about Sterling Lockett, the primary punt return around the team who doesn't really actually have more of an offensive minded approach, at least he hasn't in years past. Do you think that changes at all this year in 2026? Well, I certainly hope that is the case so we can get, so we can get Tyler Lockett off of Twitter. I could point him out of time that he had the amount of reps that he had with special teams last year. But, you know, I look at a guy like Sterling Lockett. I look at several other guys like Adonis, Moise, or even a Larry Porter kind of kind of seeing some additional time on, and I'm being completely honest, as far as talking about several of these prospects that could perhaps fill in not only just the fifth role in the wide receiver core. Maybe we could see a guy like Adonis Moise kind of emerged. He was a he was a true freshman. Christian nobody. I don't think anybody pegged Adonis Moisey as a true freshman who'd play every game. He was healthy for more specifically over Larry Porter. I mean, he was high ranked signee for per two, four, seven and parivals as well. So we'll see if a light bulb is flickering on for Larry Porter. But I think those two you could be watching very closely to see who can emerge as kind of be fifth guy. And maybe who could see some potential reps of special teams, especially not if Bryce Normberg is gone. Maybe we could see several of these guys emerging as wide receiver. And if I'm going to be honest, and this is all wide receivers. This is looking at a wide receiver show and all that. But I honestly don't know who is going to come out on special teams because I keep seeing guess what when I was at these camps, these spring practices and which we only saw to him. So it was not too much to take away. But one of those main takeaways was going to be who are who is going to be returning those punts. And what I saw guys like Jacob Knuth and Lincoln Fier returning punts. So I mean, I think everything is on the table as far as who could perhaps get the opportunity of returning. I'd still hand John on several wide receivers or maybe some backup running back to who may not get the opportunity to emerge as perhaps the guys on special teams. So yeah, I'm not sure Christian. I think when you're looking at those three prospects and Moisey Lockett and Larry Porter, I think those three are certainly ones that probably fit in the third tier. Behind Isaiah Williams or Brandon White. Yeah, I'm with you and I'd like to see Larry Porter take a step up this year, registered completely all of 2025. But this is the high school guys you mentioned was a highly recruited guy in 2025 and he led the state of Missouri with over 1400 receiving yards in his in his senior season in 2025 to see if you can make that happen for Kansas state on the year in in 2026. There's a couple of freshmen on this roster and Keith and love it in Wilson. I wonder if they actually get to have some sort of impact this year because of how deep and how many players might potentially be in front of them. If not, we might be seeing some more red shirts in 2026 and this might be the final year of the red shirt with the five for five on its way most likely. What that being said, let's do this round the show out with a little bit of fun. There I call it rapid fire. We like to be a little long winded, but rapid fire could be fun for this one out of these out of these three freshmen right here. Which one do you think could have the impact the potential impact or will have a bigger impact in 2026. If any of them do, which one would it be? I'd have to go. I kind of like this Julian Wilson fella out of a Wasso Oklahoma. I think K state has fared pretty well with Oklahoma wide receivers in the past. A lot of lockets to be quite specific with you. He's 6'2, 190 out of a Wasso Oklahoma. He told a 1,200 receiving yard, 17 touchdowns, over 72 catches as well. He also completed basketball as well. You got to imagine that he certainly has the jumps and perhaps maybe some of a vertical vertical ask. Vertical ask physicality traits as well for him to merge maybe. I don't necessarily think we'll see too many freshmen. It was kind of different compared to last year. You know what with Larry Porter and Adonis Mo East because the wide receiver room was didn't have all that much depth. So it was very possible for those guys to kind of emerge on the scene late in the season where I feel a little less confident about that this season. But if you were to tell me right now, I have a three prospects. I lean towards Julius Wilson, but I don't have the best scope at it as well. Keep in mind, these several of these prospects, and I think the three of them signed the day that Chris Klarman announced his retirement. So everything was breaking loose. And I don't think recruiting was on the was off of priority for a lot of us media members. But yeah, no, I'm very excited to see how these three guys are able to emerge. I got a never. I got never hot hot hot rush question for you as well. Bring it. Bring it. I love hot takes in the middle of May. Let's go. All right. Well, what is going to be the highest single game yardage for receiver this year? Oh, that was not one of my questions on the rundown. So I love that. So how many yards? Yeah. Oh, okay. I think we'll get. We'll get one player to break one 50 this year, at least one. And I think if anybody's going to do that, I think it's. You know, I think it leads the team in receptions for receivers. I do. I don't know if a tight end will lead receptions, but, and I think it's Jaren Tibbs. I think Tibbs does it, and I think he breaks 150 at least once. Not counting the Nichols game, because I think actually true FBS opponents will break 150 at least once. What are you about you? You got a hot take? Anything else there? So, looking at last year, but most of the game was Jase Brown, and he had 160 against KU. He got 106 against Baylor and 109 against North Dakota. But the closest after that was, was not Jase Brown, because he also had 78 yards against Iowa State. Jaren Tibbs had 72 against UCF. So, he can double that this year, at least once. Yeah, he'll certainly double that for sure. I'm, I'd say, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna lower him because none of those prospects kind of demand the top 15 to top 20. Attention as Jase Brown does, but I think someone, I think a prospect or two will get over a 105, 110, either John Ted's or Josh Manning. Well, I think it'll be one of those two. I think they'll get over 110 or 105 against that team like Nichols, Washington State or Tulane. Okay. All right. Good. Maybe, maybe a, maybe a, Jaren Tibbs, 150 breakout game against KU. That would be, we could start it, we could start a whole another tradition of, of getting 150 plus receiving yards against the J-Hawks. I'm going to go to Christian and coming up the googs. Yeah, good. We'll see you. There we go. Make sure you check out everything that John's got going on at gopowercat.com. We've got plenty of stuff coming at you on the channel throughout the next couple of days as well. Multiple videos coming out every single day right here on lockdown Kansas Day. So make sure you stay subscribed. Got a lot of stuff coming at you. It's May, but we are still talking about college football. We have plenty of basketball talk. There's still plenty to talk about when it comes to the cats. Please like the video. Please subscribe. We'll see you back here next time right here on lockdown Kansas State. Show notes: Kansas State football may finally have the wide receiver depth and versatility needed to maximize quarterback Avery Johnson heading into the 2026 college football season. On this episode of Locked On Kansas State, Christian Rauh and Jon Grove break down the entire K-State wide receiver room, including transfer portal additions, returning playmakers, breakout candidates, and how new offensive coordinator Collin Klein could utilize the Wildcats’ revamped passing attack. The discussion includes: Why Jaron Tibbs could emerge as WR1 for Kansas State Joshua Manning’s potential after transferring from Missouri Why Brandon White could become a breakout weapon Derek Salley Jr.’s red-zone upside and JUCO impact Izaiah Williams’ fit after following Colin Klein from Texas A&M Whether Sterling Lockett, Adonis Moise, or Larry Porter can carve out bigger offensive roles Which freshmen wide receivers could surprise during the 2026 season How Avery Johnson benefits from improved depth, competition, and scheme flexibility Could this become the deepest K-State wide receiver room in years? And can Colin Klein recreate the explosive offensive success Wildcats fans saw during the Big 12 championship run? Kansas State football fans, this is one of the most important position groups to watch entering the season. #KansasState #KStateFootball #AveryJohnson #CollegeFootball #Big12 #KansasStateWildcats #ColinKlein #KState #Wildcats #TransferPortal Go AD Free and More with the Everydayer's Club! Learn More Here: https://lockedonkansasstate.supercast.com/ Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/lockedonKState Follow the show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3HhcfyjaoLGxYjsL1KmSZM More Coverage from Christian Rauh: https://blueprintsportsnetwork.com/ #KansasState #KansasStateFootball #KansasStateWildcats #NCAA #CollegeFootball Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. 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