Kansas State is losing a big piece on defense with linebacker Austin Romaine entering the transfer portal. This one’s a tough blow. Romaine was coming off a breakout year and was expected to be one of the centerpieces of the defense heading into 2025. Now the Wildcats have a major hole to fill at linebacker, and the timing isn’t great.
Romaine was one of the best linebackers in the country this past season, prior to his season-ending injury, and also graded out as the Big 12’s best defender on Pro Football Focus. He posted 184 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception in his K-State career.
One school that’s expected to be in the mix is Baylor. That’s where Joe Klanderman just landed after leaving Kansas State to become the new defensive coordinator under Dave Aranda. Klanderman was a big part of Romaine’s development in Manhattan and knows exactly what he brings to the field. If Baylor’s looking to add experience at linebacker and bring in someone who already knows the system, Romaine makes a lot of sense.
It’s not hard to figure out why this hurts for Kansas State. Romaine was trending toward being one of the most productive defenders in the country in 2026. You lose a guy like that, and it’s not just about the stats. It’s about having someone in the middle of the defense who knows the system and can handle the pace of conference play. Replacing that isn’t easy, and there may not be a player out there capable of that feat.
There’s no indication yet where he’s leaning, but if he does end up at Baylor, that’s going to raise some eyebrows. In-conference transfers always hit different, and when it’s a defensive captain-type following a former coordinator, it adds a little extra heat.
Kansas State still has plenty of talent on that side of the ball, but there’s no sugarcoating this one. Romaine was a core guy moving forward, and now they’ve got to figure out what’s next.
