Kansas State center Sam Hecht is the Wildcats’ first selection of 2026 NFL Draft
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sam Hecht was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 144 overall pick.
- Hecht became the first Kansas State player drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Hecht started his final 25 games at K-State and earned first‑team All‑Big 12 honors.
Sam Hecht is heading to the NFL.
The former Kansas State center found a new home in the professional ranks on Saturday when the Carolina Panthers selected him in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
He was the No. 144 overall pick.
Hecht was the first K-State football player to hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Wildcats have produced a NFL pick in six consecutive drafts.
Two other football players with ties to K-State were also selected on Saturday.
The San Francisco 49ers selected former K-State offensive lineman Carver Willis in the fourth round. He spent several seasons playing for Chris Klieman before he transferred and ended his college career at Washington. A few picks later, the Panthers selected Texas A&M defensive back Will Lee, who played one season for the Wildcats.
K-State defensive back VJ Payne is also expected to be picked in the late rounds.
But Hecht was first off the board.
Hecht spent five seasons at K-State. He matured into a standout offensive lineman during that time. Hecht arrived in Manhattan in 2021 after a stellar high school career at Mill Valley. He spent his first year at K-State on the sideline with a redshirt, but he was in the starting lineup by the time he was a junior.
Hecht started his final 25 games with the Wildcats. As a senior, he earned first-team, all-conference honors from the Big 12.
The next time he puts on a football uniform, he will be in the NFL.