K-State May Rely on Sophomore Tight End to Fill Ben Sinnott’s Shoes
Kansas State sophomore tight end Garrett Oakley faces the challenge of stepping up to replace Ben Sinnott, who was picked high in the 2024 NFL draft.
Oakley heads into training camp with big expectations after watching Sinnott become one of the nation’s top tight ends over the past two years, culminating in Sinnott being drafted in the second round by the Washington Commanders.
This season, many will expect Oakley to deliver similar performance, which brings its own pressure.
However, Oakley has the background and a year of experience to make significant contributions for the Wildcats. Last year, he played in the final 10 games, including a start in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
In his redshirt freshman season, Oakley recorded 11 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns and earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors, demonstrating his ability to learn from Sinnott.
Oakley arrived at K-State with impressive high school credentials, leaving Scotus Central Catholic in Nebraska as the school’s career leader in receptions (107) and receiving yards (1,640). ESPN ranked him as the 21st best tight end in the class of 2022.
“The sky’s the limit for tight end Garrett Oakley,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said during spring football.
Assuming he stays healthy, Oakley is expected to surpass his offensive numbers from last season, having missed the first three games due to injury.
