Kansas State's slight rise in NFL Draftees is expected to continue with one of its former stars last season.
Former Wildcats center Sam Hecht was the latest to be recognized on NFL.com, joining his former teammate, safety VJ Payne.
The site wrote:
"Hecht lacks ideal mass and length, but it will be hard to find a center in this year’s draft with better technique. He plays with well-placed inside hands that help maximize his leverage and core strength. All schemes are available to him, but his athleticism will shine when activated in space. He stays sticky to blocks once he connects, but his lack of length will put him on the wrong side of the battle from time to time in both the run and pass phases. Hecht needs to add more muscle mass to his frame, but he has the consistency and tape of a future starter."
Hecht spent four seasons with the Wildcats, earning All-Big 12 honors in each of his last two seasons. He was an honorable mention for Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2025, even in spite of the line's general struggles. He was initially a third or fourth-round pick, but could potentially be drafted as early as the mid-second round after a solid display at the Senior Bowl.
Without Hecht, Kansas State will have to regroup an offensive line unit that was lackluster for most of last season. It was one of the primary issues for the team last season, with so many new additions to the line stifling any chemistry.
The Wildcats were decent in pass blocking for quarterback Avery Johnson, but couldn't get much production out of the running backs. With the run game a staple of Kansas State's offense, the team lost its identity and primary wow factor. While some of the derailed run game was due to Dylan Edwards' injury, a strengthened unit up front will help Kansas State return to its typical strong rushing attack.
Klein has already addressed this by adding Mike Schmidt as offensive line coach and overhauling the offensive positions.
As for Hecht, expect teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers to be in the hunt for him as they revamp their units upfront.
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