Two former Kansas State football players have received invitations to the NFL Combine: center/offensive lineman Sam Hecht and defensive back VJ Payne. If current mock draft projections hold, both could be selected after the first day of the draft.
Where Sam Hecht and VJ Payne rank among 2026 NFL Draft prospects
Hecht played for the Wildcats from 2022 to 2025, anchoring the center position on one of the conference’s top offensive lines. Over his career, he appeared in 42 games and collected multiple Big 12 honors in his final two seasons. According to his bio, Hecht logged 759 offensive snaps and “anchored an offensive line that guided the Wildcats to a No. 10 ranking in sacks allowed.” His tenure also featured four victories over in-state rival Kansas.
USA Today projects Hecht as a fourth-round pick, while ESPN and The Athletic consider him a possible third-round selection. CBS Sports even has him going off the board in the third round at No. 45 overall to the Baltimore Ravens.
VJ Payne projected later in the 2026 NFL Draft
The same cannot be said for former Wildcats safety VJ Payne. Unlike Hecht, he isn’t projected among the top players at his position this year. That’s not to say he lacks talent—only that experts expect him to be drafted later.
Like Hecht, Payne spent his entire collegiate career at Kansas State, showing significant development during his time in Manhattan. He finished his final season with 59 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one interception. Payne appeared in 12 games last season, including conference matchups against Arizona and Utah where he recorded double-digit tackles. Against Arizona at home, he posted a season-high six solo tackles, a mark he matched versus the Utes.
Draft projections for Payne range from as early as the third round to as late as the sixth round. Both NFL.com and The Athletic have him landing somewhere in the middle, likely around the fourth round. Potential landing spots include the Tennessee Titans and the San Francisco 49ers, depending on where he is selected.
Kansas State’s history in the NFL Draft
If either Hecht or Payne is taken within the first three rounds, it would mark the third consecutive year a Kansas State player has been drafted that early. Last season, cornerback Jacob Parrish achieved that honor as the 84th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The previous year, tight end Ben Sinnott was selected 53rd overall by the Washington Commanders, and one round later, offensive guard Cooper Beebe went 73rd overall to the Dallas Cowboys. By comparison, Hecht is projected to fall somewhere between Sinnott and Beebe, while Payne may linger several rounds later than recent standouts.
The first round of the NFL Draft begins April 23. Rounds two and three take place on April 24, and rounds four through seven conclude the draft on April 25. Further details, including the full draft order, are available on ESPN.
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