Desmond Purnell
Desmond Purnell
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Fourth year in the Kansas State linebacker corps, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 11 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Arizona — Week 3, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Chris Klieman.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Collin Klein
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kansas State | 72 | 51 | 8.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 46 | 33 | 9.5 | 4.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | 51 | 34 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | Kansas State | 17 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | 186 | 124 | 23.5 | 8.0 | 9 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025
W 38–35
vs North Dakota
5 SOLO · 6 TOT
Edged out North Dakota at home in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kansas State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Kansas State
Returning around him
- 2 Kansas State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -7 net (26 in / 33 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kansas State · Last season: 6-6 (AP #17) · Talent rank #47 · 2026 recruiting class #50
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Mac Harris’s 2024 season.
Matches Mac on
Differs from Mac on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Fred Perry's senior season at West Virginia (2025).
Matches Fred on
Differs from Fred on