Key Points:
- Former Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards is redshirting after an injury limited him to just four games.
- The Kansas State running back’s long recruiting journey had come full circle back to his home state.
- His decision coincides with the NCAA’s new single transfer portal window starting in January.
The career of Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards has been an absolute whirlwind dating as far back as his time as a senior in high school.
Ranked as the No. 165 player in the country, No. 10 running back and No. 2 player in Kansas by 247Sports‘ 2023 Composite Rankings, Edwards racked up nearly 40 offers. The Derby, Kansas native initially committed to Kansas State in June of 2022. His commitment to the Wildcats didn’t last too long, as Notre Dame offered him at the end of July, and he flipped to the Fighting Irish in August. This commitment lasted until Colorado’s Dec. 3 hiring of Deion Sanders, who was able to flip Edwards to be a part of his first recruiting class in Boulder.
Edwards lasted just one season in Boulder before deciding to return closer to home and transfer to Kansas State ahead of the 2024 season. While serving more as a change-of-pace back in 2024 as he recorded 546 yards and five touchdowns, Edwards was expected to be the team’s primary running back this season.
Instead, he suffered a lower-body injury in the team’s Week 0 game against Iowa State on Aug. 23 and didn’t return to action until Sept. 12. Edwards ended up playing in just four games this season, and, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, is opting to use his redshirt year for this season.
He finished the season with 34 carries for 205 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while adding three catches for 17 yards through the air.
While Edwards and a handful of other players have had their intentions to enter the portal announced, the transfer portal window doesn’t officially open until January.
How new transfer portal window impacts Dylan Edwards
As proposed in September and officially confirmed this past month, there will be just one transfer portal window this year in January instead of having a second one in the spring.
ESPN’s Max Olson broke down this change this past month.
“The NCAA Division I Cabinet formally approved a significant change to the transfer portal process Tuesday, establishing a single offseason transfer portal window for FBS and FCS players Jan. 2-16, 2026, and eliminating the spring portal window in April,” wrote Olson.
Olson also explained that, unlike in years past, when grad students could enter at any time, they too will have to wait until Jan. 2 to enter their names into the portal. The only exception to the rule is when a program fires/loses a head coach, as players on the team will still have a 30-day grace period to enter their name into the transfer portal.