Collin Klein has his first blue-chip win in Manhattan.
The new Kansas State head coach just landed four-star defensive lineman Dawayne Jones, giving the Wildcats a major early boost in the 2027 recruiting cycle. For Klein, it is more than just another commitment. It is a statement that the staff can win high-level battles right out of the gate.
Jones also has family ties to the program, as his brother, Wayne Jones, played at Kansas State, so there was always going to be a natural connection. Still, this was not a recruitment that was going to take care of itself. The offer sheet tells the story.
Kansas State beat out the LSU Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, Missouri Tigers, Kansas Jayhawks, Iowa State Cyclones, Auburn Tigers, Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, and several others to secure his pledge. That is SEC competition. That is Big 12 competition. That is national attention.
On the 247Sports Composite, Jones checks in as a four-star prospect, the nation’s No. 377 overall player, the 32nd-ranked defensive lineman in the class, and the seventh-ranked player in the state of Oklahoma.
For Kansas State, landing a defensive lineman with that profile fits the program’s identity. The Wildcats have long leaned on physical, disciplined fronts to compete in the Big 12. Adding a high ceiling player from a nearby state only strengthens that foundation.
It also signals momentum in the 2027 class. Getting a player with national offers to shut things down early gives Klein and his staff something to build around. Defensive prospects often become tone setters in a class, and Jones has that kind of presence.
The 2027 cycle is still young, but this is exactly how you want it to start in Manhattan.
