Wendell Gregory

Wendell Gregory is one of the more intriguing edge prospects in a 2027 class that evaluators expect to be unusually deep at the position, and he arrives there after an unusual path. A four-star recruit out of Marietta, Georgia who was ranked the No. 17 edge nationally in the 2024 cycle, he began his career at South Carolina before transferring to Oklahoma State and immediately becoming the brightest spot on a defense that ranked among the worst in the country. Vikings Wire's summer report, built off tape against Arizona, Cincinnati and Oregon, highlights near-elite get-off as the foundation of his game, with blazing acceleration off the snap that pressures a tackle's set before the play has really begun. He plays with good knee bend that still has room to grow, and he sinks his hips into contact to win the leverage battle rather than running himself upfield. The motor is the most consistent thing about him; evaluators note he is routinely at full speed chasing a play on the far side of the field, and his pursuit and tackling are not in question. The pass-rush plan is the part that lags behind the traits. He wins early with speed but does not yet have a reliable second move after the first engagement, and the Vikings Wire report specifically suggests a spin would fit his fluidity and turn him into a real disruptor. There is also an unexplored piece to his projection: he has the athleticism and processing to drop and roam in zone, but Oklahoma State rarely asked him to do it. He stayed through the end of a 1-11 regular season while teammates opted out to protect their health, then entered the transfer portal in January and landed at Kansas State as the Wildcats' highest-ranked transfer, where coach Collin Klein has praised his twitch, bend and hands. The 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 pick is the player most likely to reset the K-State line's identity, and his tape suggests a bigger role and better surrounding defense would raise his production further.