Whitaker Ready to Dominate 2026 | College Basketball News

Kansas State’s 2026 football season spotlight shines on linebacker Darien Whitaker Jr., a towering 6’3”, 246-pound talent from Baltimore who’s poised to start and terrorize offenses off the edge opposite Wendell Gregory. Despite limited playing time last year—mostly on kickoff coverage—he made tackles in both games and boasts elite high school credentials, including top-tier linebacker rankings nationally and standout senior stats: 82 tackles and 2 interceptions. Majoring in psychology, Whitaker brings relentless discipline to the field and is viewed as a key piece in KSU’s strong linebacker rotation under head coach Collin Klein. With the team’s new five-for-five eligibility system, Whitaker’s remaining four years of eligibility make him a cornerstone for the future. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/dc3c1051aa603339