In which BracketCat counts down the 38th day until the 2024 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State defensive end Brendan Mott.
NOTE: Kansas State has elected to advance players’ classification even though the 2020 season did not affect eligibility. Those who wish to take advantage of this extra year will be listed as a (“super”) senior again after their original eligibility would have been exhausted.
#38 Brendan Mott
Redshirt Super Senior | 6-5 | 244 lbs. | Iowa City, Iowa
Courtesy Kansas State Athletics
- Position: Defensive End
- Previous College: None
- Projection: Co-Starter
- Status: On Scholarship
Brendan Michael Mott (b. March 28, 2001) is a former walk-on defensive end from Iowa City High School West who redshirted in 2019 but really started to break through in 2022.
He had contributed primarily on the scout team since converting from tight end after 2019.
In 2020, Mott played as a reserve defensive end against Kansas, making one tackle. He also saw action as a reserve defensive end in 2021 during KSU’s win over LSU in the Texas Bowl.
Mott’s breakthrough came during the 2022 Big 12 Championship season. He played in every game, making 10 starts and totaling 31 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks (to rank sixth in the Big 12 Conference in sacks), a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery.
Mott also set career highs in tackles (8), tackles for loss (3) and sacks (3) at West Virginia en route to Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for his virtuoso performance.
His three sacks against the Mountaineers tied for fourth in school history for a single game and also tied for the second most by a Big 12 player during the 2022 season.
Mott carded his first career sack in the season opener against South Dakota, while he also had sacks against Iowa State and Oklahoma State. He registered his first career pass breakup at Baylor and recovered a fumble against Oklahoma State.
Mott, who tallied five tackles against Texas and three at TCU, earned Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators in addition to being a first-team Academic All-Big 12 performer.
He finished the year off strong academically by earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Kansas State in May, while he is now working on both his master of business administration degree and a certificate in investment management.
Last season, Mott started all 13 games, totaling 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles en route to All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades.
He tied for fourth in the Big 12 in forced fumbles and had a season-high five tackles at Kansas, while he had four stops in back-to-back games at Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
Mott recorded a 10-yard sack against UCF, forced a fumble at Texas that eventually led to a K-State touchdown as the Wildcats rallied from a 27-7 deficit to tie the game and send it to overtime, and also forced a fumble against Troy plus pass breakups at Missouri and Texas.
He tallied full tackles for loss against Southeast Missouri State, Oklahoma State and Texas.
Mott again picked up Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators in addition to first-team Academic All-Big 12 accolades for the second straight season. He also was named to the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society list.
A two-year letter-winner at Iowa City West under head coach Garrett Hartwig, Mott helped the Trojans to earn a 21-3 record over his junior and senior seasons. He totaled 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, and also competed in track and field.
Mott’s father, Joe, was an All-Big Ten defensive end at Iowa selected in the third round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, while he also played for the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. His brother-in-law, Nick Niemann, plays for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Mott projects to rotate with young Jordan Allen this season at the weakside defensive end spot, complementing Travis Bates, Chiddi Obiazor and possibly Cody Stufflebean.