Kansas State’s 4-Star Junior Faces Unexpected Redshirt: What This Means for the 2025 Season and Beyond

Ever wonder if a season can slip through a player’s fingers faster than a handoff gone awry? That’s exactly the predicament Dylan Edwards finds himself in. The Kansas State junior, brimming with promise and a four-star pedigree, will be sidelined for the rest of 2025 due to a nagging lower-body injury — opting instead to take a redshirt year and, intriguingly, keep his options open for a transfer. It’s a twist that leaves Wildcat fans pondering what-ifs and who’s next up to carry the load. Edwards’ brief flashes of brilliance this year—like his 166-yard explosion against UCF—only make the absence sting more, but with the transfer portal opening soon, a fresh chapter may be just around the corner for this explosive back. Curious to see how this saga unfolds? LEARN MORE.

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards will miss the remainder of the 2025 season and utilize a redshirt, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

A junior from Derby, Kansas, Edwards played in just four games this year before a lower-body injury forced him to step away, allowing him to preserve a year of eligibility. He will have two seasons remaining to play in college, and multiple reports indicate he plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal once the window opens in January.

Edwards began the season with promise, but an ankle injury after a muffed punt in Week 0’s Aer Lingus Classic against Iowa State in Dublin derailed his campaign, and he did not return. He returned briefly for subsequent matchups, pulling off his most notable performance against UCF on September 27, rushing 20 times for 166 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown, in a 34-20 victory.

Outside of that game, Edwards carried the ball sparingly, totaling 34 carries for 205 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, averaging six yards per rush. His final appearance came on October 4 against Baylor, where he gathered 12 touches for 38 yards and one touchdown.

This is Edwards’ second season with Kansas State after transferring from Colorado, where he played his freshman campaign in 2023. During his Kansas State career, he has appeared in 16 games, amassing 751 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 108 carries, along with 22 receptions for 150 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Including his time at Colorado, Edwards has played in 28 collegiate contests, rushing for 1,072 yards and eight touchdowns and catching 58 passes for 449 yards and six scores.

A highly regarded recruit, Edwards was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2023. He was ranked as the No. 181 overall player nationally and the 11th-ranked running back in his class, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

His combination of explosiveness and multidimensionality made him a crucial piece of the Wildcats’ offense, expected to take on a featured role following the departure of 1,000-yard rusher DJ Giddens to the NFL after the 2024 season.

Kansas State, currently 4-5 on the season, will look to its remaining backs and quarterback Avery Johnson to shoulder the offensive load during the final three games. Edwards’ departure leaves the Wildcats in search of production from Joe Jackson, Jackson Jobe, and other ballcarriers as they navigate matchups against Oklahoma State, No. 13 Utah, and Colorado.

Edwards’ entrance into the Transfer Portal, which opens January 2 and runs through January 16, could make him one of the top backfield additions available in the 2026 cycle.

The post Kansas State 4-star junior to redshirt, miss rest of 2025 season appeared first on ClutchPoints.