Collin Klein is working on pulling a fellow Aggie with him to Manhattan.
Kansas State is eyeing Texas A&M co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson, previously at Kansas, as the team’s next defensive coordinator, according to a report by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
No deal is official as of Friday afternoon, but Peterson would be a key pull from the Mike Elko staff as Klein puts together his entourage at Kansas State.
Klein and Peterson are both still on staff at A&M through the duration of the College Football Playoff. The No. 7 Aggies host No. 10 Miami in the first round on Saturday.
Two Aggies – safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brookes – are chasing 60-plus tackles as the playoff kicks off. Corner Will Lee III leads the team with seven passes defended and 43 tackles in tow.
Former Kansas head coach Les Miles hired Peterson, previously at New Mexico and Fresno State, as the team’s safeties coach in 2020, and Lance Leipold retained the Lexington, Texas, native as safeties coach and defensive analyst until promoting him to co-defensive coordinator at the end of the 2023 regular season.
In Lawrence, Peterson led two future NFL corners in Cobee Bryant, a two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, and Mello Dotson. Bryant and Dotson combined their efforts for seven interceptions in 2023, the most by a KU duo since 2007.
Peterson returned to his alma mater as A&M’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2024. His first secondary with the Aggies finished top-3 in the SEC with 16 interceptions; Peterson’s defense ranks 19th nationally and currently leads the country on third down.
Should Klein successfully earn Peterson as a staffer, Kansas State’s defense could be in for a significant upgrade.
Defensively, Kansas State has been consistently inside the top 40 under former defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, now at Baylor.
But in 2025, Klanderman’s defense allowed 378 yards (67th nationally) and 24.4 points per game (56th nationally). The Wildcats were just 38% on third down.
A proven recruiter, Peterson was ranked among the best in the Big 12 during his time at Kansas and has strong ties in Arizona, California and Texas. Peterson has won 11 different four-star defensive prospects since 2023.
Seven Wildcats have already declared their intentions to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 2, including edge Tobi Osunsanmi and corner Donovan McIntosh.
