Nearly half of Kansas State's roster started as walk-ons

The Kansas State Wildcats have an opportunity to knock off the No. 5 Auburn Tigers Saturday in Manhattan.

It'll be hard – in fact, it has been 45 years since a higher-ranked non-conference opponent than Auburn has come to town. However, the Wildcats sport a legitimate dual threat in senior quarterback Jake Waters, a stud in wide receiver Tyler Lockett and a downright scary defensive end in Ryan Mueller. 

One wouldn't think then that 58 players on the Wildcats' roster entered the program as walk-ons. But it's true: as CBS Sports reported, nearly half of the Wildcats' entire roster is made up of current or former walk-ons.

It starts with none other than Mueller, the Big 12's reigning defensive lineman of the year who was at one point "turned down by the likes of Missouri State."

All-Big 12 center B.J. Finney came as a state wrestling champion from a small town in Kansas. 

Heck, even Jordy Nelson started his college career at Kansas State as a walk-on. 

There are currently five junior college walk-ons at K-State, two of which who have started games this season, and 14 are at least second-string players.

Importantly, current or former players spoke about how coach Bill Snyder has influenced a team culture where walk-ons aren't treated as "red-headed step children," as former Kansas State quarterback Stan Weber said he was at Texas A&M. 

"There is no entitlement. Anywhere," wrote CBS Sports. "There is equality and respect in each player's attempt to be great. Finney is the first K-State offensive lineman to become a three-time captain."

“There are no walk-ons in the locker room when you get to K-State,” said another former Wildcat quarterback, Matt Miller, now the head coach at Garden City (Kan.) Community College. “You don't know who is a walk-on and who isn't."