Kansas State University Athletics
Ready to Compete
Dec 11, 2024 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Cheers bounced off cream-colored walls adorned in purple and white balloons as Noah King sat at a table covered in a purple cloth and before a white name card that bore his name and a Powercat. King, one of the nation's top defensive backs in the Class of 2025, wore a purple long-sleeved t-shirt and purple ballcap. There were no games. There were no ballcaps on the table. This occasion on December 4, drenched in formality, was about business, as King opted to sign with Kansas State in the early 2025 signing period.
As applause died down, King rose from his chair.
"I want to thank everybody for coming out. I can't thank God enough. Go Cats!"
Then King, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, who committed to K-State on July 29 — ("Stood 10 toes never blinked! Committed! #KStateFB," he posted on social media) — hugged and took photos in a familiar room with familiar folks. It's a small world away from the biting unfamiliarity about to greet him when the incoming freshman arrives in Manhattan sometime between January 17-18 as an early enrollee and participant in spring workouts.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound King, who projects as a free safety, will arrive in the Little Apple with a dogged work ethic, leadership and raw talent. He is the highest-rated high school defensive back ever to sign with K-State, according to 247Sports, and the second-highest rated K-State signee in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports — behind five-star tight end Linkon Cure.
"The biggest thing for Noah is going to be how prepared he is to take on this challenge," said K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who also coaches the safeties. "He played at a high level of high school football. Now how can he help this team play championship-level football?"
Hamilton High School head coach Arvie Crouch believes he can do so.
"He's a physical specimen for a corner or safety-type of kid," Crouch said. "He's very, very intelligent and very aware of his surroundings. This is the thing about Noah, his high end is very high. Once he gets up there and they sink their teeth into him and get him playing at a high level, he's going to be something special to watch."
"There are a lot of things he does well," Crouch added. "He's a good leader. Nobody really threw at him and stayed away from him and that affected his stats. He's just a great kid who works hard and loves his teammates and does a great job and comes from a great family."
Crouch pauses.
"When he reaches his full potential," he continues, "you're going to have a hell of a ballplayer on your hands."
King received his first official offers from Toledo and Bowling Green on May 3, 2023. ("It felt great, it was a lifetime dream, to be honest," he said.) He said that many people in his area never attend college. He was grateful for the opportunity to continue his education while playing the game that he has loved since he began turning heads as a speedy wide receiver in the fourth grade.
"Honestly, when I got that first offer, it made me hungry for more," he said. "Getting offers feels good. You're working, working and chasing more, you know what I mean?"
King chose K-State over 11 schools, including Nebraska, Oregon State, West Virginia and Kentucky, and he made more than 10 official and unofficial visits. He posted 41 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and four pass breakups as a senior at Hamilton High School and was the 26th-best cornerback in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports.
"It was really frustrating because I was playing corner because that's what our team needed instead of playing safety, and I only got targeted like two or three times a game out of the 12 games," King said. "Four-star wide receivers and tight ends got zero yards. I locked everybody down in front of me. I allowed two catches. I handled business, for sure."
First contact with K-State came June 24. Klanderman wanted King for an official visit. King said sure thing. Klanderman also wanted King to participate in the Wildcats' high school prospect camp immediately following the visit.
"I'm a competitor," King said. "I don't turn down any type of competition. I liked the program, I liked the coaches, and I wanted in. I wanted to win."
King timed at a 4.45 40. He passed all the tests and drill work. He performed drills for an hour. He played one-on-one coverage for one hour, as Klanderman and K-State head coach Chris Klieman looked on.
"At the end of it, Coach Klieman and I looked at each other and said, 'He's the guy,'" Klanderman said. "Really freaky athletic. Long and fast, his potential growth is incredible and that's probably the most exciting thing about him."
Klanderman said that it would be difficult to compare King to another K-State defensive back because "he's longer than a lot of our guys, so it's hard."
"I'd probably compare him most to a guy like VJ Payne that just has some raw flash and giddy-up to him," Klanderman said. "On tape, his burst and his raw zero-to-60 (speed) and you couple that with his length and with the fact that he's still very much a pup and very much learning the position and the game, what stands out is a whole bunch of potential. He's probably not the guy in this class that's the most ready to play next year, but he might be the guy in four years that might have the highest ceiling."
King said the opportunity to play in a backfield in the Big 12 also attracted him to K-State.
"It's really exciting because this Big 12 throws a lot," he said. "This was another factor in me going to Kansas State. Instead of going to the Big Ten where they do a lot of running, I can go to the Big 12 where they throw it a lot. I can make a lot of plays. I can't wait to play Colorado, Kansas and Arizona State. I cannot wait."
King has goals for the Wildcats next fall.
"As a team, I really want to go to the 12-team playoff and make a run," he said. "I want to be a Freshman All-American. I'm going to continue to work for that."
The work assuredly will soon start in Manhattan.
"I'm a four-star DB until January, and then nobody cares," King said. "I'll be a regular freshman grinding it out to get onto that field. Yeah, I'm one of the higher-rated recruits, but I have more in me. I'm better than people know I am. I can compete and show this Noah King guy came here to work, he put his head down, and he's competing. I don't want to look like a freshman. That's my goal.
"I want to come in and make plays and go to work."
Cheers bounced off cream-colored walls adorned in purple and white balloons as Noah King sat at a table covered in a purple cloth and before a white name card that bore his name and a Powercat. King, one of the nation's top defensive backs in the Class of 2025, wore a purple long-sleeved t-shirt and purple ballcap. There were no games. There were no ballcaps on the table. This occasion on December 4, drenched in formality, was about business, as King opted to sign with Kansas State in the early 2025 signing period.
As applause died down, King rose from his chair.
"I want to thank everybody for coming out. I can't thank God enough. Go Cats!"
Then King, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, who committed to K-State on July 29 — ("Stood 10 toes never blinked! Committed! #KStateFB," he posted on social media) — hugged and took photos in a familiar room with familiar folks. It's a small world away from the biting unfamiliarity about to greet him when the incoming freshman arrives in Manhattan sometime between January 17-18 as an early enrollee and participant in spring workouts.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound King, who projects as a free safety, will arrive in the Little Apple with a dogged work ethic, leadership and raw talent. He is the highest-rated high school defensive back ever to sign with K-State, according to 247Sports, and the second-highest rated K-State signee in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports — behind five-star tight end Linkon Cure.
"The biggest thing for Noah is going to be how prepared he is to take on this challenge," said K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who also coaches the safeties. "He played at a high level of high school football. Now how can he help this team play championship-level football?"
Hamilton High School head coach Arvie Crouch believes he can do so.
"He's a physical specimen for a corner or safety-type of kid," Crouch said. "He's very, very intelligent and very aware of his surroundings. This is the thing about Noah, his high end is very high. Once he gets up there and they sink their teeth into him and get him playing at a high level, he's going to be something special to watch."
"There are a lot of things he does well," Crouch added. "He's a good leader. Nobody really threw at him and stayed away from him and that affected his stats. He's just a great kid who works hard and loves his teammates and does a great job and comes from a great family."
Crouch pauses.
"When he reaches his full potential," he continues, "you're going to have a hell of a ballplayer on your hands."
King received his first official offers from Toledo and Bowling Green on May 3, 2023. ("It felt great, it was a lifetime dream, to be honest," he said.) He said that many people in his area never attend college. He was grateful for the opportunity to continue his education while playing the game that he has loved since he began turning heads as a speedy wide receiver in the fourth grade.
"Honestly, when I got that first offer, it made me hungry for more," he said. "Getting offers feels good. You're working, working and chasing more, you know what I mean?"
King chose K-State over 11 schools, including Nebraska, Oregon State, West Virginia and Kentucky, and he made more than 10 official and unofficial visits. He posted 41 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and four pass breakups as a senior at Hamilton High School and was the 26th-best cornerback in the Class of 2025 by 247Sports.
"It was really frustrating because I was playing corner because that's what our team needed instead of playing safety, and I only got targeted like two or three times a game out of the 12 games," King said. "Four-star wide receivers and tight ends got zero yards. I locked everybody down in front of me. I allowed two catches. I handled business, for sure."
First contact with K-State came June 24. Klanderman wanted King for an official visit. King said sure thing. Klanderman also wanted King to participate in the Wildcats' high school prospect camp immediately following the visit.
"I'm a competitor," King said. "I don't turn down any type of competition. I liked the program, I liked the coaches, and I wanted in. I wanted to win."
King timed at a 4.45 40. He passed all the tests and drill work. He performed drills for an hour. He played one-on-one coverage for one hour, as Klanderman and K-State head coach Chris Klieman looked on.
"At the end of it, Coach Klieman and I looked at each other and said, 'He's the guy,'" Klanderman said. "Really freaky athletic. Long and fast, his potential growth is incredible and that's probably the most exciting thing about him."
Klanderman said that it would be difficult to compare King to another K-State defensive back because "he's longer than a lot of our guys, so it's hard."
"I'd probably compare him most to a guy like VJ Payne that just has some raw flash and giddy-up to him," Klanderman said. "On tape, his burst and his raw zero-to-60 (speed) and you couple that with his length and with the fact that he's still very much a pup and very much learning the position and the game, what stands out is a whole bunch of potential. He's probably not the guy in this class that's the most ready to play next year, but he might be the guy in four years that might have the highest ceiling."
King said the opportunity to play in a backfield in the Big 12 also attracted him to K-State.
"It's really exciting because this Big 12 throws a lot," he said. "This was another factor in me going to Kansas State. Instead of going to the Big Ten where they do a lot of running, I can go to the Big 12 where they throw it a lot. I can make a lot of plays. I can't wait to play Colorado, Kansas and Arizona State. I cannot wait."
King has goals for the Wildcats next fall.
"As a team, I really want to go to the 12-team playoff and make a run," he said. "I want to be a Freshman All-American. I'm going to continue to work for that."
The work assuredly will soon start in Manhattan.
"I'm a four-star DB until January, and then nobody cares," King said. "I'll be a regular freshman grinding it out to get onto that field. Yeah, I'm one of the higher-rated recruits, but I have more in me. I'm better than people know I am. I can compete and show this Noah King guy came here to work, he put his head down, and he's competing. I don't want to look like a freshman. That's my goal.
"I want to come in and make plays and go to work."
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