Former Wildcat Receiver Pringle Signs with Chiefs

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Former Kansas State wide receiver/kick returner Byron Pringle made the next step in his football career as he signed an undrafted rookie free agent contact with the Kansas City Chiefs, the organization announced Saturday.

Pringle joins cornerback D.J. Reed, who extended K-State’s Big 12-leading NFL Draft streak to 25 years after being selected in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers, and kicker Matthew McCrane, who agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals earlier in the week.

A former community-college player, Pringle is the first Wildcat to sign with the Chiefs since offensive lineman Tavon Rooks went to camp with the organization prior to the 2015 season, while he is the first wide receiver to do so since Kevin Lockett was drafted in 1997 and played four seasons in Kansas City.

Pringle, a native of Tampa, Florida, was a two-time All-Big 12 kick returner, while he was on the Paul Hornung Award watch list as the most versatile player in the nation during his senior season. He amassed over 2,000 all-purpose yards as both a wide receiver and kick returner, while he finished second in school history in career yards per reception (19.64) and sixth in both career kickoff-return average (27.6) and yards (1,076). He became one of 30 players in school history to reach 1,000 career receiving yards but just the seventh former community-college players to accomplish the feat.

A standout at Butler Community College prior to coming to K-State, Pringle finished third nationally and tops in the Big 12 with 24.13 yards per reception during his senior campaign. He averaged at least 25 yards per catch in five games, including in an upset victory at No. 10 Oklahoma State when he hauled in four catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. His contest against the Cowboys also featured an 89-yard touchdown on a kickoff return as he became the first player in Big 12 history with three receiving touchdowns and a kickoff-return score in the same game.