It’s never dull in Wildcat country. And with the recruiting drama circling Ian Premer, it’s safe to say Kansas State fans are feeling the full emotional workout. One moment, the vibes are sky-high; the next, the brakes are slammed. Is he leaning toward Manhattan, or just giving everyone a good old-fashioned head fake? We might not have a commitment date circled yet, but what we do have is fans from all his top 4 schools crying out for the No. 4 tight end in the class of 2026.

On June 23, Derek Young of K-StateOnline dropped into the KCSN podcast with John Kurtz to unpack the saga. And let’s just say, DY didn’t sugarcoat it. “This one — depending on who you talk to, all four schools may have been in the lead at some point.” Young admitted. That quartet? Kansas State, Kansas, Notre Dame, and Iowa State. Depending on who you ask, any combo of those could be the current frontrunner. DY continued, “Or maybe it’s been one school all along, and a lot of misinformation is out there, quite frankly. So it’s been a hard one to gauge and pin down.”

Still, Kansas State fans got the reassurance they needed. Premer’s official visit to Manhattan was a smash hit. “What I would say from a visit standpoint is, by all accounts, it was an impressive visit. It went super well, and Kansas State knocked it out of the park. Which is probably to be expected — a lot of these go very, very well often anyway. So we’re kind of in wait-and-see mode,” said Young. That post-visit buzz? Real. But also fleeting. As Young pointed out, “That has like a 24–48 hour grace period… and then things come back to the surface level.”

And here’s where it gets murky. Weeks ago, sources pegged Kansas and Notre Dame as Ian Premer’s top two. Others swore it was K-State and Iowa State. Kansas was very much in the mix, especially with a reportedly juicy NIL deal. But then came a plot twist: KU took a second tight end, Kevin Sullivan, from Rockhurst. That move might’ve nudged Ian Premer away, even if no one’s saying it out loud. As DY noted, “Not a lot of guys sign up to be a third tight end.”

Now, what do we know for sure? Ian Premer is a unicorn of a prospect. At 6’5″, 220 pounds, he’s a matchup nightmare. In 2023, he hauled in 30 catches for 541 yards and eight touchdowns, averaged 18 yards per grab, and also rushed for 260 yards. Oh, and he logged 50 tackles and four INTs on defense. That’s not even mentioning his 21 points per game on the hardwood or his near-.480 batting average on the diamond. Multi-sport freak.

No surprise that On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) currently gives Kansas State a 31% shot at landing him. Kansas is next at 27.1%, Notre Dame trails at 11.8%, and Iowa State is hanging on with a slim 8%. But the real kicker came when Young threw cold water on K-State fans who were feeling just a little too confident: “Not sure I still feel that way… it’s hard to know if there’s some misinformation here.” Classic recruiting whiplash.

That said, the Wildcats’ 2026 recruiting machine is humming. With 16 commits already in the boat, including legacy linebacker Lawson McGraw, K-State is quietly building something nasty. Premer would be a cherry on top.

Big changes ahead for Chris Klieman in 2025?

Kansas State enters 2025 with more than just good vibes and solid recruiting—they’re aiming for another Big 12 title run. Under Chris Klieman, the Wildcats have strung together four straight eight-plus-win seasons, including a 2022 conference championship. Last year’s 9–4 finish (and a thrilling Rate Bowl win over Rutgers) kept the momentum alive. But K-State isn’t settling. They want the next step: the College Football Playoff.

That journey starts with a new man at the controls of the offense: Matt Wells. The former Texas Tech head coach and longtime offensive guru is now the full-time OC. Last year, he served as the passing game coordinator and helped develop quarterback Avery Johnson, who tossed for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns. Johnson’s got wheels, too—605 rushing yards and seven scores. But if K-State’s going to elevate, Johnson has to sling it more efficiently. Wells has a track record—he molded Jordan Love at Utah State. Could Avery be next?

On defense, there’s no shortage of storylines. The Cats lost 4 of their top 6 tacklers—and three of those guys might be suiting up on Sundays this fall. But as always, coordinator Joe Klanderman isn’t panicking. He’s got linebacker Austin Romaine (96 tackles) and safety VJ Payne ready to lead the next wave. Plus, they picked up former Ohio State LB Gabe Powers via the portal, who could be a difference-maker alongside Romaine.

And then there’s the much-anticipated debut of Linkon Cure. The 6’6″, 220-pound tight end is the highest-rated recruit in K-State history, and expectations are sky-high. Lindy’s Sports notes that he could be a big-body mismatch nightmare in the passing game and a force in the run game. Still, Garrett Oakley is the returning starter, catching 22 balls for 236 yards last year. If Cure can match that as a true freshman, that’s a win.

All told, Lindy’s Sports has Kansas State finishing 3rd in the Big 12. Not too shabby, but you can bet Klieman’s crew has loftier goals. If Wells unlocks Johnson’s full potential, and the defense reloads as expected, don’t be shocked if the Wildcats crash the CFP party.