Kansas State's Chris Klieman Confirms Draft Prospects Will Not Play In Rate Bowl
Kansas State running back DJ Giddens and defensive back Jacob Parrish have officially played their last collegiate games.
Coach Chris Klieman confirmed Friday that they will not be playing in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers Dec. 26.
"Those are the only two, I think, outside the portal that aren't playing," Klieman said.
Parrish and Giddens have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Giddens is projected to be selected in the second or third round, while Parrish is likely to be a Day 3 acquisition.
AVERY JOHNSON'S POP TART PERFORMANCE ILLUSTRATES IMPORTANCE IN BOWL GAME PARTICIPATION
Avery Johnson started his first full game against North Carolina State to end the 2023 season.
He hasn't looked back since. The sophomore quarterback threw for 178 yards and one touchdown while adding 71 yards and a score on the ground. This propelled Johnson to start for the Wildcats in his sophomore year, where he logged 2,517 passing yards, 548 rushing yards, and 28 total touchdowns to just nine interceptions.
Instances like these illustrate the possibilities that arise from bowl game participation. Kansas State coach Chris Klieman previously raved about players getting this experience, whether for getting reps or even elevating their player profiles.
“I think that's exciting for those guys," Klieman said. "Not only will we do just a lot of developmental practices, it's a great chance for those kids to be coached and find out how much they have advanced in their understanding of the schemes on offense, defense, and special teams...Cooper Beebe played last year and it didn't hurt his draft status. The kid was still drafted in the second round and maybe even helped it. That's what I hope our kids learn from the opportunity like Coop had to play in that game and still be selected really high as a draft pick.”
The Wildcats head to Phoenix next Thursday for the Rate Bowl against Rutgers (7-5). Perhaps another freshman will get the opportunity to shine and mobilize into a starting position next season.
Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
Jayden is a journalism school graduate of Howard University. He was the 2024 recipient of the Terez Paylor scholarship award. He previously worked at the Orlando Sentinel.