Did Kansas State's Recent Struggles Lead To Finn Walker Decommitment?

The Kansas State Wildcats lost a member of the 2027 recruiting class when defensive lineman Finn Walker announced he was re-opening his recruitment. 

He revealed the news Monday morning via social media. 

"My journey is headed in a different direction," Walker wrote. "I am no longer committed to play (football) at  Kansas State."

Walker is a three-star recruit from Conroe Oak Ridge (Texas) High School. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Walker has offers from the Arizona Wildcats, SMU Mustangs, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Baylor Bears and many others. 

He was once considered a hard commit but something has changed. Could it be the Wildcats' recent struggles? The Wildcats have hit two rough patches in the first year of the coach Collin Klein era. 

After cruising through the non-conference schedule with wins against the Nicholls Cowboys, Washington State Cougars and Tulane Green Wave, the Wildcats lost consecutive games against the Cincinnati Bearcats and Houston Cougars. 

There was reason for hope when they defeated the rival Kansas Jayhawks in the Sunflower Showdown but that was followed with a three-game losing streak. Walker's decision comes days after Kansas State suffered a blowout 66-28 loss to the Cowboys at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. 

Perhaps that could have led to the decision by Walker. While he wasn't the cornerstone of the class, his departure will be felt. A player deciding to leave a school could also have a trickle effect, which would hurt Klein while he is trying to rebuild the program through recruiting. 

The hope is this is just an isolated incident. If not, it would put a dent in all the solid work Klein and his staff have done since taking over last December. In a short time, they have compiled a strong list of potential recruits from the 2027 class through 2030. The next few months will be interesting. 

This is why it's so important for Klein to make sure the team finishes strong, so prospective recruits see  progress is being made. 

Here is a look at Kansas State's current 2027 class: