State Of The Depth Chart: Linebackers

The linebacker room this year welcomes back some old faces, with the return of Austin Moore, Desmond Purnell, and Austin Romaine, who all had large contributions this past season.

They also lose some key components in Daniel Green and Jake Clifton. Green tore his pectoral muscle against Missouri last season and missed the season, and ran out of eligibility after last season. Clifton, on the other hand, left Kansas State to go on a two-year mission trip.

With that being said, let’s dive into what this room looks like following some off-season turnover.

Kansas State reloads at the linebacker spot this season, bringing back the returning leading tackler from the team last year in Austin Moore, alongside starter Des Purnell and a pair of guys that saw action in every game in Austin Romaine and Beau Palmer. The room also added junior college transfer Kaden McMahan and New Mexico transfer Alec Marenco, who should help build quality depth.

The core of Moore and Purnell should be one of the best in the Big 12. Add in the likes of Austin Romaine, Beau Palmer, and even Asa Newsome, who was slated to be a number two on the depth chart last year as a true freshman before missing the entire season with an injury, and the Wildcats should have one of the best linebacker rooms in the Big 12 this year.

The excitement around this group should be high.

The future is also in the present, with Purnell, Romaine, and Newsome having multiple years of eligibility left. The team has the perfect mix of experience and youth to make long-term strides for the future of “The MOB”.

Guys who may not be on the field this year, but will have a great chance to see the field on special teams or in some mop-up time are Boone Morris, Terry Kirksey, and Rex Van Whye.

As a three-star prospect, Morris should have the chance to come in and contribute on special teams right away. The native of Talco, TX notched a whopping 205 tackles his senior year and had 11 sacks during his junior campaign, which earned him district MVP honors.

Van Whye and Kirksey both saw the field last year on special teams and in mop-up minutes, and their role more than likely won’t change much this year. They both bring valuable experience from junior colleges to the room though, which can provide valuable leadership for the young guys in the room.

Having Austin Moore back in itself is enough to take the worry away for most Kansas State fans. He has been the centerpiece for this defense for years, having played or started in all 13 games for three years in his career already.

Pair him with Purnell and a combination of two or three other guys, this team not only has the skill and talent, but the depth to overcome any bumps and bruises that it may suffer.

Kansas State certainly has a chance to be in the top third of linebacker units in the conference this year, and if some of the young guys take a leap, it will have a chance to be the outright best linebacker room in the Big 12.

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