MANHATTAN
Dante Barnett could have been preparing for the NFL Draft on Saturday like former teammates Cody Whitehair, Glenn Gronkowski and Morgan Burns. Instead, the senior safety was preparing for his fifth season at Kansas State and taking part in the Wildcats’ spring game.
The past eight months have felt like a detour for Barnett. His college football career appeared destined for all-conference honors and a shot at the NFL last August, but a shoulder injury suffered in K-State’s opening game sidelined him for the rest of the year.
The journey back was unexpected and unwanted, leaving many to wonder if Barnett would bother applying for a medical hardship waiver and return to K-State for another season when turning pro was also an option.