It took until Day 3, but Kansas State football is sending another player to the next level.
Wildcat senior center Sam Hecht was picked with the fourth pick of the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers Saturday afternoon.
A former walk-on, the 6-foot-4, 303-pound offensive lineman was a first-time All-Big 12 selection by the leagues coaches and earned honorable mention for the league’s offensive lineman of the year award.
He played in 42 games as a Wildcat, and started in the last 25 of them.
During the 2025 season, Hecht played 759 offensive snaps and did not commit an accepted penalty. He anchored an offensive line that helped guide the Wildcats to a No. 10 ranking in sacks allowed (1.08 per game) and helped K-State finish fifth in school history in rushing yards per carry (5.09).
