K-State adds respected football transfer from Conference USA at position of need

The Kansas State football team continues to add reinforcements to its defensive line.

After losing many key contributors at that position to graduation and the transfer portal, new head football coach Collin Klein has made defensive tackles and edge rushers a major priority in his early recruiting efforts.

That emphasis paid off again on Wednesday when Elijah Hill, a 6-foot-2 and 230-pound defensive end from Kennesaw State, committed to play for the Wildcats. He made 22 tackles, including nine sacks, as a freshman while playing for the Owls last season.

His production earned him first-team all-league honors from Conference USA.

Now he is looking to prove himself in a power conference.

Hill will join a group of five incoming transfers on the defensive line that also includes Jayden Bryant (Coastal Carolina), Kamari Burns (Cincinnati), Wendell Gregory (Oklahoma State) and De’Arieun Hicks (Gardner-Webb).

Overall, K-State has lined up commitments from 23 incoming transfers this month.

K-State football transfer tracker

Incoming (23)

Charlie Adams (offensive lineman from Cal Poly)

Koy Beasley (defensive back from Miami of Ohio)

Jayden Bryant (defensive end from Coastal Carolina)

Kamari Burns (defensive lineman from Cincinnati)

Dylan Davidson (punter from Emporia State)

Jaxson Duffield (long snapper from Oklahoma State)

Rodney Fields (running back from Oklahoma State)

Wendell Gregory (defensive end from Oklahoma State)

Robert Hammond (kicker from Toledo)

Jay Harris (running back from Oregon)

De’Arieun Hicks (defensive lineman from Gardner-Webb)

Elijah Hill (defensive lineman from Kennesaw State)

Keiton Jones (offensive lineman from Missouri)

Adrian Maddox (defensive back from Georgia)

Joshua Manning (wide receiver from Missouri)

Mekhi Mason (linebacker from Louisiana Tech)

Tanner Morley (offensive lineman from Colorado State)

Delvin Morris (offensive lineman from Akron)

Jacobi Oliphant (linebacker from Oklahoma State)

Kaleb Patterson (defensive back from Illinois)

Ja’Son Prevard (defensive back from Virginia)

Austin Ramsey (defensive tackle from Kentucky)

Izaiah Williams (wide receiver from Texas A&M)

Outgoing (32)

Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder (defensive line) to SMU

Callen Barta (wide receiver) to Emporia State

Jayce Brown (wide receiver) to LSU

Teagan Cobb (punter) to Southeast Missouri State

Daniel Cobbs (defensive back) to Baylor

Jemyri Davis (wide receiver)

Ryan Davis (defensive end) to Baylor

Dylan Edwards (running back)

Amarion Fortenberry (defensive back) to USF

Truman Griffith (defensive end) to North Dakota State

Garrett Harstad (wide receiver)

Hudson Hutcheson (quarterback)

Will Kemna (offensive line) to Missouri

Brayden Loftin (tight end) to UCLA

Antonio Martin (running back)

Kaedin Massey (offensive line) to James Madison

Colby McAlister (defensive end) to Baylor

Andrew Metzger (tight end) to Ohio

Qua Moss (defensive back) to Tennessee

Chiddi Obiazor (defensive end) to Indiana

Ralph Ortiz (linebacker)

Tobi Osunsanmi (defensive end) to Indiana

JB Price (running back)

DeVon Rice (running back) to Hawaii

Maguire Richman (linebacker)

Austin Romaine (linebacker) to Texas Tech

Jayden Rowe (defensive back) to Baylor

Jacques Spradley-Demps (running back)

Amos Talalele (offensive line)

Kanijal Thomas (defensive back) to Oklahoma State

Asher Tomaszewski (defensive line)

Devin Vass (offensive line) to West Virginia

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.