Kansas State Wildcats coach Chris Klieman is staying tight-lipped about his quarterback room heading into fall camp. To be honest, this is Avery Johnson’s show to run. The dynamic signal-caller has been handed the reins, and with no backup being named just yet, it’s clear K-State is betting big on the second-year QB to make the leap. With Big 12 hype swirling and momentum building, Kansas State is sitting on a potentially explosive mix of star power, as was clear in analysts like ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg’s Power Four football rankings and Phil Steele’s list.

The buzz after Phil Steele released his All-Big 12 teams, listing him as the second-team QB. Ahead of both Sam Leavitt and Rocco Becht. That raised eyebrows in all the right ways. On KCSN, John Kurtz and Cole Manbeck broke it down: “The most interesting, emphatic, potentially poignant bit of information here is having Avery Johnson as the second team All-Big 12 quarterback ahead of Sam Lev and Rocco Becht.” That’s not a minor detail—it’s a statement. “If you told me right now that Avery Johnson would be the second-team All-Big 12 quarterback behind just Sawyer Robertson… then I would say K-State is playing for a Big 12 title.” The belief is real, and it’s rooted in the confidence of what Johnson can deliver.

Kurtz continued, “If Avery Johnson is the second-best quarterback in the Big 12 this year, does that mean K-State has a season good enough to make the Big 12 Championship? And I would say yes.” The sentiment isn’t just hopeful—it’s measured. While it’s true that quarterback rankings don’t always translate to team wins, in a conference where signal-callers reign supreme, a jump from Johnson would almost certainly put Kansas State in the title conversation. “There are enough really good quarterbacks in this conference that the odds would certainly tell you that yes, that would be correct.”

Fueling that optimism is more than just a passerby buzz. K-State just landed a high-upside, high-motor athlete in Lawson McGraw. Blue Valley West standout is a jack of all trades. A legacy recruit whose father, Jon McGraw, starred for the Wildcats before a 10-year NFL career. Lawson has the family roots and on-field versatility to be a real difference-maker. Whether lining up at LB, TE, or DE, McGraw makes his presence felt. His stat line is ridiculous: 45 tackles, 12 quarterback pressures, 7 tackles for loss, a sack, 3 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, 2 blocked kicks—including one taken to the house—and 10 catches for 162 yards and 3 scores on offense.

He’s officially listed as the No. 15 commit in the Wildcats’ class, but McGraw could be the wild card that adds a new layer to Kansas State’s evolving offensive puzzle. If he slides in at TE down the road, he could become a versatile weapon for Avery Johnson. Quick-release game and athleticism pair perfectly with a big, reliable target who understands defensive schemes as well as offensive ones. It’s rare to land a player who brings this kind of flexibility—and even rarer when he’s got Wildcat DNA built in.

The bigger picture ESPN’s Rittenberg painted was when he placed Kansas State firmly in the Power Four rankings conversation. Behind Johnson’s growth, Chris Klieman’s system, and the influx of blue-collar talent like McGraw, the Wildcats are no longer lurking in the Big 12—they’re emerging.

Wildcat claws are sharpened, Avery Johnson hype surges

Kansas State football isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. The Wildcats are officially earning outside praise, with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg placing them at No. 21 in his latest PFF rankings. Sitting among programs like Iowa State and Indiana, K-State is drawing national attention, especially thanks to its rising star at QB1.

“Avery Johnson can be a Big 12 and national awards candidate, especially if he displays better accuracy as a passer,” Rittenberg wrote. Johnson is coming off a productive sophomore campaign where he threw for 2,712 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He’s got the wheels and the arm—and if he cleans up a few reads and sharpens his timing, he could be one of the most dangerous dual-threat QBs in the country. “Johnson is a junior and can headline the Kansas State offense again in 2026,” Rittenberg added. You can bet that made Chris Klieman grin ear to ear.

Rittenberg also highlighted the strong supporting cast: TE Garrett Oakley returns after a second-team All-Big 12 nod, junior LB Austin Romaine led the team in tackles and earned second-team honors himself, and linemen like Hecht and Obiazor are expected to make noise in 2025. The pieces are surely there.