Kansas State TE Brayden Loftin Impressing As Unit Tries To Replace Ben Sinnott
The Kansas State Wildcats are left with a void to fill at tight end after Ben Sinnott left for the NFL.
Sophomore Garrett Oakley and senior Will Swanson are viewed as the frontrunners for the starting job, but the 6-foot-5 Brayden Loftin is wowing the coaching staff.
"The guy that has jumped at us this year is Braydin Loftin," Klieman said. "He's really made play after play, not only in the pass game but in the run game."
Klieman is clearly a fan of Loftin's blend of size and agility. Even if he doesn't find a serious workload in the air, fans should expect contributions in the blocking game.
"He's made a ton of plays in the pass game and he's got the chemistry with all those quarterbacks," Klieman said. "He knows how to get open, knows how to find those seams. Braydin is the one who has stepped up."
Here's what Klieman had to say about quarterback Avery Johnson's chemistry with a speedy wide receiver:
Johnson isn't afraid to air out the football, making a speedy deep threat his perfect partner.
Sophomore wide receiver Jayce Brown is potentially this weapon for the Wildcats. Johnson did not receive major playing time as a freshman, leaving him with limited time to grow connected with Brown.
Klieman remains confident in the tandem's chemistry despite their lack of time on the field together.
"They missed a lot of time in the spring so that sets you back a little bit," Klieman said. "You need to be around each other throwing the ball all the time and now we've been able to get back into that in fall camp. Those guys have kind of been in sync ever since they've been here. They live together and they do a lot of things together. They know each other's traits."
Last year Brown had 437 yards and three touchdowns on 27 receptions as a freshman. He started the last six games, as the coaching staff noticed his big-play ability, averaging 16.2 yards a catch.
MORE K-STATE NEWS
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The One Thing Kansas State Wants From QB Avery Johnson Is Simple
Anthony Pasciolla is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
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ANTHONY PASCIOLLA