Players from Kansas with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 39% of roster spots in 2016 and 19% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 49 of 127 roster spots were filled by Kansas players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 21 of 109 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 28.
The median hometown distance moved from 281 mi in 2016 to 399 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 39.3% | 39.5% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 2.3% | 8.1% |
The 2026 roster
- 506 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 105 located players.
- 20.2%In-state20.2% of players with a known home state are from Kansas.
- 5.7%Backyard5.7% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 25.7%Previously rostered elsewhere25.7% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Kansas State ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Kansas State's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 109 | 20.2% | 25.7% | 399 mi |
| 2025 | 110 | 30.0% | 13.6% | 346 mi |
| 2024 | 123 | 43.9% | 8.9% | 190 mi |
| 2023 | 124 | 41.1% | 4.0% | 233 mi |
| 2022 | 124 | 44.4% | 6.5% | 206 mi |
| 2021 | 131 | 40.8% | 7.6% | 227 mi |
| 2020 | 139 | 44.2% | 3.6% | 142 mi |
| 2019 | 132 | 46.2% | 4.5% | 147 mi |
| 2018 | 110 | 40.9% | 4.5% | 192 mi |
| 2017 | 122 | 38.5% | 1.6% | 240 mi |
| 2016 | 127 | 39.2% | 0.8% | 281 mi |
| 2015 | 119 | 42.0% | 0.0% | 222 mi |
| 2014 | 125 | 43.2% | 0.0% | 213 mi |
| 2013 | 132 | 45.5% | 0.0% | 213 mi |
| 2012 | 124 | 45.2% | 0.8% | 213 mi |
| 2011 | 126 | 42.1% | 2.4% | 234 mi |
| 2010 | 132 | 47.0% | 2.3% | 144 mi |
| 2009 | 121 | 36.7% | 2.5% | 349 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 399 mi