Kansas State football tight end Ben Sinnott opts out of bowl game to enter NFL Draft

MANHATTAN — Kansas State football’s offense has taken another hit ahead of its bowl game.

All-Big 12 tight end Ben Sinnott, a third-team All-American, announced Tuesday via social media that he has declared for the NFL Draft and will opt out of the Wildcats’ Pop-Tarts Bowl game against North Carolina State on Dec. 28 in Orlando, Florida.

Sinnott, a former walk-on from Waterloo, Iowa, was second on the team this year with 49 catches and led the Wildcats in receiving yards with 676 and touchdowns with six. He finished his K-State career with 82 receptions for 1,138 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Sinnott, a fourth-year junior, had a breakout season in 2022, when he became one of quarterback Will Howard’s favorite targets down the stretch, finishing with 31 catches for 447 yards and four scores, and was a first-team all-conference pick as a fullback by Big 12 coaches.

Related: Kansas State football senior quarterback Will Howard enters transfer portal, won’t return

Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott catches a touchdown pass against Missouri on Sept. 16 at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo.

Sinnott’s opt-out decision leaves the Wildcats without their top two receivers after super-senior Phillip Brooks (53 catches for 589 yards and 5 touchdowns) decided earlier to skip the bowl game to prepare for the draft. Starting quarterback Howard and second-leading rusher Treshaun Ward also are gone after entering the transfer portal.

With Sinnott gone, the Wildcats will go with either redshirt freshman Garrett Oakley or junior Will Swanson at tight end. Oakley came on strong toward the end of the season to finish with nine catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

True freshman Avery Johnson will take Howard’s place at quarterback, and he will have three receivers with starting experience in Keagan Johnson, Jadon Jackson and true freshman Jayce…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/kansas-state-football-tight-end-010550887.html

Author : The Topeka Capital-Journal

Publish date : 2023-12-13 01:05:50

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