Kansas State Football has two strong prospects for 2019 NFL Draft
Kansas State football is coming off a less than stellar season, but the program should continue its streak of having talented players get chosen in the NFL Draft.
The two prospects from Kansas State that should hear their names called at the end of April are offensive lineman Dalton Risner and running back Alex Barnes. Risner is a potential first round pick (second round at the very latest) while Barnes is probably a Day 3 selection.
Risner is getting most of the buzz out of Manhattan, and for good reason. The Wiggins, Colorado native joined the Wildcats as a freshman in 2015 and stayed for all four years of his eligibility. There was quite a bit of discussion last year about Risner potentially forgoing his senior season, but he chose to return for 2018.
Risner spent most of his K-State career at right tackle, but he saw some time at center as well. Teams are always looking for solid offensive linemen and Risner fits the mold perfectly.
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In two recent mock drafts, Risner has been linked to the Rams (31st overall) and Texans (23rd overall). Either of those teams would be nice landing spots for the Wildcats o-lineman.
As for Alex Barnes, he won’t be mentioned in a lot of mock drafts because he’ll likely be hearing his name called on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. It’s not that Barnes isn’t talented, but the running back position isn’t what it once was, and Barnes isn’t a top five name at the position.
Barnes had himself a season in 2018, rushing for 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns. He totaled 2,616 yards with 25 touchdowns during his time in Manhattan. He was only a junior this past season, but with his production this past season and Bill Snyder retiring, it made sense for Barnes to forego his final year and enter the draft.
The Pittsburg, Kansas native was tough for Big 12 defenders to bring down, but can he be as masterful with the ball in the pros? Lance Zierlein of NFL.com writes,
"Barnes is a productive early draft entrant with good play strength but average ability to elude and create. He appears to lack downhill burst and explosive speed to the corner and is more of a “get what’s blocked” back than a dynamic presence with the ball in his hands."
Zierlein has Alex Barnes as a potential NFL backup and/or special teams contributor, which isn’t hard to disagree with. He’ll be able to land with a team and have a decent career hopefully.
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Dalton Risner should be a mainstay in the pros and it’d be awesome if he got drafted on Day 1!
Where do you think these two will end up going in the draft?