K-State cornerback Julius Brents was drafted on Friday by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2nd round.
Brents came to K-State as a transfer from Iowa, where he spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career playing for the Hawkeyes. After minimal reps in Iowa City, Brents hit the portal and landed in Manhattan where he went on to get Big 12 honors in both seasons.
After accruing nearly 50 tackles with one interception in his first season at K-State, Brents returned for his senior season to improve on his first season in Manhattan.
Brents earned all-Big 12 First Team accolades and again had over 40 tackles, while picking off four passes and helping lead K-State to the third-best scoring defense in the Big 12, and also being the second-leading team in interceptions in the league. All en route to the Big 12 title win over No. 3 TCU in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game.
In that game, Brents made crucial plays by picking off Max Duggan in the endzone to preserve a 21-17 lead at the time, after earlier in the game forcing Quentin Johnston to fumble the football while in the midst of a 31-yard reception that could have gone for more.
The draft stock was always in the cards for Brents, who likely would have been a top three-round pick regardless of combine performance, but what Brents did in Indianapolis shot him up draft boards.
Brents had a 41.5″ vertical, which was second best among all corners. His broad jump measured to 11’6″ which was the top number out of all corners and safeties, he also had the best three-cone drill out of the defensive backs. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash. Because of that performance, Brents started to get first-round buzz.
There is a chance that Brents remains at corner in the NFL, but he could also make the transition to safety given his length and physicality.
