Kansas State adds pass rush with All-Conference USA edge in transfer portal
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football continued to improve its pass rush by landing another young, productive edge rusher who is coming off a breakout freshman season.
Kennesaw State edge rusher Elijah Hill will transfer to Kansas State , according to CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz on Wednesday, Jan. 14. His commitment comes two days after the Wildcats landed Oklahoma State transfer Wendell Gregory , the reigning Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year .
Hill didn't enter the transfer portal until Jan. 13, as CBS Sports' Chris Hummer said he entered with a "do not contact" tag.
Hill is coming off a true freshman season in which he made 22 tackles, with 11.5 being for a loss and nine sacks. The Bryant, Arkansas, native is listed at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and was named to First Team All-Conference USA in 2025, leading the league in sacks.
During the 2025 season, Hill recorded 37 total pressures, with 23 quarterback hurries and three QB hits. Pro Football Focus evaluators rewarded him with two additional sacks, bringing him to 11. He was among PFF's top 50 graded pass rushers in college football.
Hill doesn't appear to be a finished product, posting low tackling grades. In fact, Hill played 299 snaps last season, with 211 being in pass-rush situations and 86 being against the run. Development will be needed for Hill to be an every-down defender. Kansas State is betting on its ability to get him to that level.
Out of high school, Hill wasn't rated by major recruiting outlets. Before he landed with the Owls, he was mostly pursued by FCS and Division II programs.
After he entered the portal, On3 ranked him as the 20th-best edge rusher who was set to transfer. Gregory, the Oklahoma State transfer, was ranked fourth.
Hill should be an immediate contributor to Kansas State's defense as a pass rush specialist. He gives the Wildcats additional high-upside youth at the position, as he holds three more years of eligibility. Collin Klein and K-State entered the portal cycle with the edge rusher being their biggest need and they've now filled it with one of the best young players in the Big 12, the best young pass rusher from Conference USA and a promising young edge rusher in Coastal Carolina transfer Jayden Bryant .
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_ , contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Elijah Hill picks Kansas State football in transfer portal
