K-State football lands coveted Colorado RB transfer Dylan Edwards, former Derby star

Through some twists and turns, Dylan Edwards is a Wildcat again.

The highly-coveted running back from Derby committed to the Kansas State football team for a second time on Sunday, almost two years after pledging to the Wildcats before his senior year in high school.

In a highly-publicized recruitment, Edwards flipped from K-State to Notre Dame before ultimately signing with Colorado, where he rushed for a team-high 321 yards and finished with 744 all-purpose yards this past season. He made an immediate impact for coach Deion Sanders in his first Division I game, scoring four touchdowns and totaling 159 offensive yards in a 45-42 upset win over TCU.

Edwards, a 5-foot-9 speedster, was one of the most sought-after players since entering the transfer portal on April 24. According to On3, he was also in contact with Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Nebraska and UCLA. On3 had Edwards rated as the No. 84 player in the transfer portal and the No. 2 running back still available.

But the appeal of returning to his home state to play alongside his childhood best friend, starting quarterback Avery Johnson, was too good to pass up. Johnson, who starred for Maize, and Edwards were the top-2 recruits in Kansas in the 2023 recruiting class. Johnson hosted Edwards on his official visit this weekend in Manhattan, which culminated in Edwards’ commitment on Sunday.

Edwards gives K-State another weapon in a backfield that already includes DJ Giddens, a 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior who racked up 1,226 rushing yards, 323 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns last season. Edwards, who can be a threat in the running and receiving game, has three years of eligibility remaining.

During his time at Derby, Edwards cemented his status as an all-time great. He was the Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year as a junior when he led Derby to its third straight state championship appearance. He finished his career with 6,426 rushing yards, averaging 10.3 yards per rush, and 95 touchdowns to go along with 7,944 all-purpose yards and 108 touchdowns.