Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson is ranked No. 37 nationally as 2026 evaluation turns to redemption

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson is drawing a mixed kind of attention for 2026, the type that can sharpen a season’s focus. In a recent national quarterback tier list published by The Athletic and highlighted by Yahoo Sports, Johnson landed in tier four across the country, ranked No. 37. The placement is accompanied by a clear storyline label, described as “a veteran looking for redemption,” even as Johnson remains on the edge of the national top 40.

The ranking also situates Johnson inside the Big 12 pecking order at a time when the conference’s quarterback room is viewed as deep. According to the same Yahoo Sports recap of The Athletic’s tiers, Johnson is placed behind six Big 12 quarterbacks. He is shown between Texas Tech’s Will Hammond and TCU’s Jaden Craig, suggesting a ranking that treats Johnson as competitive, but not yet in the top group of the conference’s report-callers heading into the year.

For Kansas State, the list arrives amid optimism about offensive leadership and preparation. Yahoo Sports notes that program legend Collin Klein is back in the building, and it frames that return as a factor expected to help Johnson’s season. Klein’s presence carries more than symbolism for a program that has often leaned on identity and quarterback decision-making. In that setting, a player who has been tagged as needing redemption can treat the offseason and the early season as the chance to turn the narrative.

At the same time, the ranking is also a reminder of how quickly national evaluations can harden into expectations. Being placed at No. 37 keeps Johnson in the conversation, but tier-four status suggests the national outlet is not projecting a breakthrough yet. The “redemption” wording matters because it implies prior concerns have not been fully resolved in the public football conversation, regardless of what fans might want to believe about growth from one season to the next.

The practical question for Kansas State is how Johnson responds to that external assessment. Rankings like this often influence how media members and opponents frame preparation, especially within the conference where every game can be interpreted as a referendum on quarterback quality. For Johnson, the challenge will be to convert game planning into consistent execution, to keep the offense moving without becoming predictable, and to show that the quarterback’s experience is translating into cleaner decision-making under pressure.

It is also worth noting what the ranking is not. The Athletic’s tiers and national numbering are evaluations, not a forecast tied to confirmed statistical performance. They are based on judgment about a quarterback’s track record, traits, and projected development, and they can shift quickly if camp narratives or early-season production diverge from expectations.

What to watch next is how Kansas State’s offense looks once the season gets underway, especially in the games that function as conference barometers. If Johnson can steer the offense through high-leverage moments and sustain efficiency against quality Big 12 defenses, the “tier four” label can start to look like a snapshot from the wrong moment in time. If not, the redemption language will follow him into week-to-week scrutiny, and national evaluators will likely tighten their language further.

For now, Johnson’s 2026 framing is straightforward: the coaching continuity is meant to sharpen his season, and the national ranking is meant to test his answer to the question of whether he has already earned his next chapter. The Athletic’s tier placement puts that chapter on a deadline that begins when the 2026 season starts.