Recruiting Buzz Breakdown: Class of ‘23

With the ’22 campaign just a few months away, recruitment has been heating up for the upcoming senior class. Just within the last two weeks there have been seven prospects from across the state that have announced their verbal commitment to D-I programs. Most of these commitments have come from some notable names towards the top of the rankings, as they were eager to make their decision before their senior year. This group of seven is without a doubt headlined by two of the top prospects in the class that opted to stay home and attend one of the in-state universities. The other five players chose to take their talents out-of-state, ranging from the Midwest to the East Coast. Here’s a breakdown of where these players verbally committed. [player_tooltip player_id="87642" first="Avery" last="Johnson"] – Maize, 6’2”, 175, QB Johnson’s commitment was a highly anticipated decision not only throughout the state, but throughout the country as well. The top ranked signal caller recently gained serious national attention for his strong showing while at the <a href="https://twitter.com/elite11/status/1542561064985866240?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Elite11 Finals</a>. Around that time Johnson had announced the Top 3 schools he was considering, which were the Kansas State Wildcats, the Oregon Ducks, and the Washington Huskies. The 4-Star quarterback decided to <a href="https://twitter.com/swiltfong247/status/1544413464101355521?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">stay home</a> and join an impressive 2023 recruiting class put together by Kansas State. Johnson is one of six future Wildcats ranked inside the Top 10 in the Class of ’23 Player Rankings. [player_tooltip player_id="87649" first="Dylan" last="Edwards"] – Derby, 5’9”, 165, RB Edwards has been in the spotlight since he burst onto the scene during his sophmore year, and many were excited to see which program the dynamic playmaker would pick. He boasted a long list of potential suitors, but ultimately landed on a Top 3 consisting of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Kansas State Wildcats, and the Oklahoma Sooners. At one point during his recruiting process some sites predicted Edwards would choose Oklahoma. But the All-American plans to follow in his father’s footsteps as he <a href="https://twitter.com/dylan_edwards02/status/1540025388004306944?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">committed</a> to the Kansas State Wildcats. He and Johnson are sure to be an exciting duo in the Little Apple. [player_tooltip player_id="122493" first="Hayden" last="Oviatt"] – Wamego, 6’1”, 200, QB Oviatt’s stock has continued to climb since he first debuted in the rankings last year, and he’s really put in the work to gain the attention of D-I recruiters. After a ridiculous junior season, Oviatt shined this spring during 7-on-7 competition, and he performed well while at the <a href="https://twitter.com/galloway__drew/status/1513318726715723777?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Underclassmen Under Amour</a> showcase back in April. This is when he really put recruiters on notice and began to receive offers. He eventually held nine D-I offers, and would dwindle his list down to a Top 3 of Army, the University of Kansas, and New Mexico State. A major factor in Oviatt’s decision was to play quarterback at the next level, and he decided the <a href="https://twitter.com/vince_lovergine/status/1544102041815060480?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Black Knights of Army</a> gave him the best opportunity. [player_tooltip player_id="243301" first="Jace" last="Boswell"] – Holton, 6’2”, 220, LB Boswell is finally getting the recognition he truly deserves. Being from the Class 3A ranks can leave some prospects overlooked by recruiters, but Boswell has been determined to land on their radar. His 3A All-State Honorable Mention year in 2021 played a key role in Holton only surrendering 12 points per game, which would help lead them to an 11-1 record. In addition to this, Boswell also stood out during combine season by posting some strong numbers while at the <a href="https://twitter.com/jace_boswell/status/1521199609124687874?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Sharp Elite </a>showcase in early May. This would catch the eye of the University of North Dakota, where he would <a href="https://twitter.com/jace_boswell/status/1543745665129496582?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">verbally commit</a> to. [player_tooltip player_id="127699" first="Calvin" last="Clements"] – Free State, 6’7”, 275, OL Many folks throughout the recruiting world were very interested to see which program would land this massive offensive tackle. Clements held five Big XII offers from Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Oklahoma State. He also had a few Big 10 offers from Minnesota and Nebraska. However, once his Top 3 was announced, some speculated if the big man would play in his backyard for the Jayhawks, or would he join fellow in-state prospects at Kansas State. The 6A All-State tackle would surprise fans with his decision, as he opted to play out-of-state and commit to the <a href="https://twitter.com/calvinclements9/status/1542553571165700098?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Baylor Bears</a>. [player_tooltip player_id="123081" first="Samuel" last="Same"] – Derby, 6’5”, 215, DL Same has been another heavily recruited Derby Panther in this senior class. Many D-I programs have been intrigued by the edge rusher’s athleticism and quickness, which has led to him receiving offers from programs out the Big XII, Big 10, PAC-12, and the AAC. Same left fans guessing which school he would choose because he did not reveal a Top 3. This left them wondering if he would potentially team up with [player_tooltip player_id="87649" first="Dylan" last="Edwards"] at Kansas State. But Same decided to choose the program that recruited him the hardest, and that was the <a href="https://twitter.com/samuelsame10/status/1541866450012540928?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">Iowa State Cyclones</a>. [player_tooltip player_id="166970" first="Bryce" last="Cohoon"] – Maize, 6’3”, 185, WR Cohoon’s emergence has been highlighted in the previous rankings update and throughout this offseason. His stellar track season and combine performances helped his recruitment tremendously. Cohoon’s combination of size and speed caught the attention of multiple D-I coaches from FCS and FBS programs. But it was in late June when a certain program from the ACC really sparked an interest in Cohoon. The Syracuse Orange invited him out to New York for an official visit, and a week later Cohoon made his decision to verbally <a href="https://twitter.com/bryce_cohoon9/status/1542186145139900418?s=21&t=EjIpG_SL2FxJPHAg2PC9FA">commit</a> to the Orange. Syracuse is getting a wideout with a polished skill set that could compete for playing time in 2023.