Speedy RJ Collins Commits to Kansas State Football
On Independence Day, Kansas State secured the commitment of Staley (MO) defensive back RJ Collins. After an impressive performance at a Kansas State camp last month, Collins received his first Power Four offer, which he eagerly accepted.
“The staff at K-State was very supportive and knowledgeable. The program they offered aligned with my interests and career goals, which made the offer even more appealing. Also, that’s where my parents met and had me,” Collins said.
On Thursday, he officially committed to head coach Chris Klieman and Kansas State.
Collins, a Kansas City, Mo., native, is known for his incredible speed on both the football field and the track. As a junior, he won the 5A 200-meter state championship with a time of 21.23 seconds and finished third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.56 seconds, breaking the school record. He was also named KMBC HyVee/Pepsi Athlete of the Week.
On the football field, Collins played both wide receiver and cornerback for the Falcons, contributing significantly to their challenging Suburban League schedule. Staley’s new head coach, Drew Hudgins, has been impressed with Collins’ leadership and talent.
“RJ is a positive, outgoing person who is easy to talk to and people enjoy being around,” Hudgins said. “He’s a fun kid to coach on the field because he’s always smiling and truly loves the game, but extremely competitive at the same time. He is fast, both in his short burst and at full speed, and has excellent feet at both safety and corner. RJ also brings physical cover skills as well.”
Collins chose Kansas State over several FCS programs and interest from Missouri, Nebraska, and Utah. Standing at 5’11” and 170 lbs, he brings versatility to the Wildcats, who see him excelling as a free safety/nickel in their 3-3-5 defense. Coach Klieman and Coach Klanderman value his ability to play both cornerback and move to the interior as a nickel/free safety.
“They see me excelling as a free safety/nickel in their 3-3-5 defense,” Collins said. “Coach Klieman and Coach Klanderman both said they loved my versatility to be able to play outside at cornerback and move to the interior as a nickel/free safety.”
Kansas State acted quickly to secure Collins’ commitment before other programs took notice. Coach Klieman noted Collins’ impressive speed, clocking 21.44 MPH at camp, and expressed confidence in his potential.
“Coach Klieman told me that out of about 120 guys on the current team, about 30 run over 21 MPH and only about 10 run over 22 MPH. He told me I ran 21.44 MPH at camp and believes once I get into their strength and conditioning program, he could definitely see me in that group pretty quick. Both Coach Klanderman and Coach Kardulis also told me how excited they were to see me willing to ‘stick my nose in the trash’ from a physical standpoint for my position.”
Collins joins a Kansas State class that includes several local players like Brock Heath, Linkon Cure, Martel Jackson, and Maguire Richman. He is the first Kansas City, Mo., player to commit to Kansas State since Clyde Price in 2019. Rated 85 by 247 Sports, Collins is ranked as the 20th best player in Missouri and is expected to rise with his senior season tape.
Kansas State now has 13 commits in the class of 2025, with eight on the defensive side. Collins joins Martel Jackson and Jojo Scott in the secondary, fitting the mold of an elite-speed corner who can play multiple positions on defense.
Stay tuned to GoPowercat for more updates on Collins and the 2025 class as it continues to develop.
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