As Kansas State attempts to rebound from its rollercoaster 2025 season, it must do so without many of its top defensive players. The Wildcats lost Austin Romaine, Chiddi Obiazor, Qua Moss, Ryan Davis, Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, and Tobi Osunsanmi, the top tacklers and sack leaders on the team.
So...yeah. It'll be difficult for coach Collin Klein to revamp a unit that's missing a good chunk of its corps. Luckily, at least one major outlet believes in the Wildcats' defensive additions to get them back to competitive status. ESPN wrote an article on each of the Big 12's biggest storylines before spring ball, lauding new Kansas State defenders Wendell Gregory and Elijah Hill.
"Klein lost edge rushers Chiddi Obiazor and Tobi Osunsanmi to Indiana but might have somehow pulled off an upgrade in bringing Wendell Gregory (Oklahoma State) and Elijah Hill (Kennesaw State) aboard," the article wrote. "The edge duo combined for 29.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks last season, and though Hill is a bit undersized and might need creative deployment, these two and veterans Travis Bates and Jordan Allen (and maybe Coastal Carolina transfer Jayden Bryant) give new defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson quite a bit to work with."
Gregory was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year last season, logging 27 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He led Oklahoma State in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits, one of the few bright spots in an underwhelming season for the Cowboys. Gregory will play perfectly into the Wildcats' game plan of stopping the rush and setting the tone up front.
Meanwhile, Hill will help Kansas State set the edge. He had 22 total tackles last season (11.5 for loss) and nine sacks. The former Kennesaw State defensive end led the Conference USA in sacks in 2025. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him as one of the top 50 edge rushers in college football.
These additions will help alleviate pressure off Klein as he focuses on the offense and hands the keys to Jordan Peterson and Marcus Woodson (though Woodson has been tied to Ole Miss).
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