Expectations were sky-high for Kansas State’s Dylan Edwards heading into 2025, but those hopes quickly faded. He suffered an injury in the Wildcats’ Week 0 defeat to the Iowa State Cyclones in Dublin, Ireland, sidelining him for most of the season. Adding to the setback, Edwards re-entered the transfer portal and ultimately joined the Kansas Jayhawks in early January.
Joe Jackson headlines revamped running back rooM.
Joe Jackson’s return for 2026 felt inevitable after the numbers he put up last season. Against Utah, he shattered the program’s single-game rushing record with 293 yards on 24 carries, surpassing a mark that had stood since 2003 and was previously held by Wildcats icon Darren Sproles.
Dylan Edwards
Jackson followed that performance with 110 yards on 27 attempts versus TCU and closed the year with 142 yards on 26 carries against Colorado on Nov. 29. While he enters 2026 as the projected starter, the backfield features plenty of depth. The Wildcats added Oregon transfer Jay Harris, Oklahoma State transfer Rodney Fields Jr., Memphis transfer Makari Bodiford, along with true freshmen Tanner West and Monterrio Elston Jr.
Fields proved the most productive among the newcomers, totaling 614 yards on 124 carries in 2025. Bodiford flashed efficiency in limited opportunities, finishing with 64 yards on 22 carries last season after averaging 7.1 yards per attempt in 2024. Meanwhile, West and Elston bring raw potential that could quickly translate into meaningful snaps once the season begins.
Joe Jackson,
A breakout season sets the stage
Jackson’s third year in the program turned into a breakout campaign. Initially expected to share carries behind Edwards, he stepped into the lead role after the 24–21 loss to the Cyclones in Dublin derailed Edwards’ season.
He wrapped up the year with eight rushing touchdowns, highlighted by an 80-yard scoring run against Utah. Jackson also contributed in the passing game, recording 22 receptions for 119 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown against North Dakota. If that production came in his first year as the primary option, his ceiling for 2026—and possibly 2027—appears even higher.
Optimism builds for 2026
There’s legitimate excitement surrounding Kansas State as 2026 approaches. Colin Kleinmakes his return to the Wildcats for the first time since 2012, and quarterback Avery Johnsonenters his senior season with a roster loaded with offensive firepower.
Nonconference games against Nicholls, Washington State, and Tulane will set the early tone before league matchups with Cincinnati and Houston. The annual Sunflower Showdown will once again take place in Manhattan.
If Jackson continues on his upward path, Kansas State’s ground attack could rank among the best in the Big 12—and potentially emerge as one of the nation’s most dangerous rushing offenses.
