MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder released the Wildcats’ 2015 recruiting class Wednesday with the announcement of 24 student-athletes who plan on joining or have already joined the K-State football program.
The 2015 signing class is made up of 23 players from the high school ranks, as well as one community-college player. Of the group, five are currently enrolled at K-State and will participate in April’s spring practices, which culminate with the Purple/White Spring Game on April 25.
“As we all know by now, it will be two or three years before we can accurately assess the quality of this or any recruiting class. Hopefully we have assessed the skills and intrinsic values of this year’s class accurately, but time will tell. Including greyshirts from last year’s class, we have three of these student-athletes presently in classes and participating in our out-of-season workouts. Each of them have demonstrated a commitment to becoming the best person, student and athlete possible.
“As always, we greatly appreciate the high school and community college coaches, faculty members and administrators through the state of Kansas and across the nation who have received our coaches and program so very graciously. I am especially proud of and thankful for the Kansas State faculty, dean of students, director of finance, athletics support staff, athletics director and president for their assistance in conveying to these young men the great support services, education and caring relationships provided by our University.”
This year’s class boasts 12 players on defense, 11 offensive players and one listed as an athlete. The class is made up of five apiece on the offensive and defensive lines, four linebackers, three defensive backs, three wide receivers, two running backs and a quarterback.
As is the case in years past, the Wildcat coaching staff scoured the nation for talent as Kansas State’s class of 2015 is represented by nine different states, while securing the boarders and keeping a majority of the top Kansas prospect in state. Eight of the 24 in this year’s signing class hail from the state of Kansas, while five come from Georgia, three are from Texas and two apiece are from Missouri and Oklahoma.
Defensive end Aulelio Olomua (ah-LAY-lee-oh oh-low-MOO-ah) from Mesa Community College is the lone community-college transfer in the class. It is the fewest in one class since K-State also signed only one in 1992 (Percell Gaskins).
In addition to the 24 players in the 2015 class, K-State awarded scholarships to eight former walk-ons over the course of the last six months. Punter Nick Walsh went on aid in January, while defensive lineman Will Geary will be on aid beginning in the fall. In September, long snapper Dalton Converse, quarterback Joe Hubener, place kicker Ian Patterson, defensive back Dylan Schellenberg, linebacker David Smith and wide receiver Stanton Weber were put on scholarship.
K-State Signing Day Press Conference
February 4, 2015
Head Coach Bill Snyder
On the quantity and quality of this year’s class…
“I do not know if it is one single thing. I think where I would start would be the character. That may not come off right. Someone may say they are bigger, stronger, faster or more athletic, or whatever the case may be. That seemingly is a part of the class. I think in this day in age because recruiting is upside down, you have heard me say before, you do not get to know them for very long because defining character in your value system is very important to us. Seemingly, it is a group of young guys who seem to have a great amount of athletic ability, but I think, first and foremost, it is a group that is collectively of strong and high valued group of young guys. There is a toughness aspect there that you always look for – that is part of the value system. I think we have some hard-working and tough guys. I think that, on the perimeter, there is a good degree of athleticism. In some areas you would like to be quicker in some aspects, but collectively, athletic ability stands out in that regard.
On Alex Delton graduating from high school early and enrolling at K-State in January…
“I think that it is major. I think when a young guy makes that decision that it tells you here is a guy that wants to do this. He really does. He is a hard worker. I like his demeanor. He tries to invest himself. He wants to find out anything and everything that he possibly can. He is the kind of guy that we like. He is a youngster of good character. I think he has done well in the out-of-season workouts up until this time. When you think about it, it puts him way ahead of other guys that play the same position as him. That would be true for anybody that would come at mid-term. I think we have five guys that came to campus at the semester – some from last year’s count and some from this coming year. They have come in and gotten on board quickly. It is a great value I think.”
On signing eight Kansas guys…
“I think that it is probably an average year. When I say average year in the state of Kansas, there are usually 10 to 12 guys that will go on and sign with Division I schools. I do not know what the total number was that came out this year with Division I schools, but I would suggest that it is about that.”
On signing defensive tackle, Bryce English …
“I like Bryce (English). Again, I like him because of his character. His father played for us at North Texas. We always talk about those guys who are hardworking and how much effort they put in, and it is so apparent when you watch video tape that Bryce is a very explosive man. You never know when you watch high school tape of who is on the other side of the ball and how good or not so good a player there might be. You have to research the guys are playing against. When you watch him on tape, he is a physical player. He plays so hard – sideline to sideline. He is a 300-pound guy. I had not seen him until he came on his visit here. When I saw him, I was really impressed with his size. He is just a physical player who plays hard. I really like that. Knowing his father, I know how he has been raised and, obviously, he is a youngster of good character.”
On Elijah Sullivan’s recruiting circumstances…
“It was just one of those last moment things. Again, we had been in touch with him, but we have a little different policy than some others. If you make that commitment, we are going to honor that, which he did. He was aware that we initially had an interest, so when he balked at what he initially was going to do, he told his coach and his coach contacted us and see if we were interested or not. We then went from there and spent time with him and his family and then it turned out.”
On finding guys like Trey Dishon…
“We do not have a staff meeting where I don’t say, ‘Do not leave a stone unturned in the state of Kansas because they are there. Do not ever tell me that they are not there. I know they are. If you just look, you will find them.’ It is a little harder, like you said. There is so much out there on the internet, so electronically you can find anything and everything that you want. Even with all of that, you still do not get to all of them. A school will go anywhere to find and recruit a youngster, but not everyone is willing to go into the depths of Kansas – they probably could not find where they are going anyway – but not a lot of people will want to do that. It has always been our approach to make sure we find those individuals.
There are guys that if you go down to the state of Texas, it is year-round football. They play all the time, and they get better and better. Consequently, you have some very talented young people. You get into small schools in Kansas, and other states as well, a youngster is playing football, playing basketball, running track and maybe playing baseball along with it. He is doing all those things. About the time he is getting it in one sport, he is moving onto the other. I think that is great. I would tell my son to do that too. Consequently, they are not always developed. There is a difference in their development with the youngster here in the state of Kansas. It is not a matter of coaching. The coaching in Kansas is just as good as it is anywhere. It is just the fact that they do so many different things. I like that – it tells me a little bit more about their athletic ability and his ability to be competitive. You have 25 basketball games, 10 football games and 10 track meets; you are competitive over a long period of time. That brings out in young people too, I think.”
Click here to see entire 2015 recruiting class.
— KSU Sports Information —
