Kansas State University

Kansas State Wildcats land running back transfer Makari Bodiford from Memphis

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Key Takeaways

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  • Kansas State added Memphis RB Makari Bodiford to bolster 2026 backfield depth.
  • Bodiford brings three years eligibility and adds rotational rushing options for K‑State.
  • K‑State also signed Rodney Fields and Jay Harris as complementary transfer backs.

The Kansas State football team has prioritized running back as an important position for its 2026 transfer class.

K-State has lined up commitments from three new ball-carriers out of the portal this month.

They will complement returning starter Joe Jackson in the K-State backfield next season.

The newest addition at running back is Makari Bodiford, a 5-foot-11 and 222-pound playmaker who spent the past two seasons playing for the Memphis Tigers. As a freshman, he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. His best outing came against Charlotte when he erupted for 73 yards and a score.

As a sophomore, he totaled 64 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries while appearing in four games.

He will have three years of eligibility remaining after he enrolls at K-State.

Bodiford will be expected to add depth to the K-State backfield alongside fellow incoming transfers Rodney Fields of Oklahoma State and Jay Harris of Oregon.

K-State football transfer tracker

Incoming (27)

Charlie Adams (offensive lineman from Cal Poly)

Koy Beasley (defensive back from Miami of Ohio)

Makari Bodiford (running back from Memphis)

Jayden Bryant (defensive end from Coastal Carolina)

Kamari Burns (defensive lineman from Cincinnati)

Dylan Davidson (punter from Emporia State)

Chase Duarte (offensive lineman from San Diego 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 end from Kennesaw State)

Tyler Johnson (offensive lineman from Auburn)

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)

Brandon White (wide receiver from Hawaii)

Izaiah Williams (wide receiver from Texas A&M)

Outgoing (31)

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

Ryan Davis (defensive end) to Baylor

Dylan Edwards (running back) to Kansas

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) to Tennessee Tech

Tobi Osunsanmi (defensive end) to Indiana

JB Price (running back)

DeVon Rice (running back) to Hawaii

Maguire Richman (linebacker) to Northwest Missouri State

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) to South Dakota

Devin Vass (offensive line) to West Virginia

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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.
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