Iowa State Continues Bolstering Defensive Line With Former Washington State Players

The Iowa State Cyclones continue adding talent to the trenches on the defensive side of the ball.

Nov 29, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars defensive lineman Darrion Dalton (92) celebrates with Washington State Cougars safety Kyle Peterson (28) and Washington State Cougars defensive end Isaac Terrell (88) after a sack against the Oregon State Beavers in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Washington State Cougars won 32-8. | James Snook-Imagn Images

Early in his tenure as head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones, Jimmy Rogers has emphasized restocking the talent in the trenches.

The football program has been active on the transfer portal, bringing in talent along both the offensive and defensive lines. There are already double-digit commits on the offensive side, all of which is needed with the entire starting group from 2025 not coming back in 2026.

On the defensive side, Rogers successfully convinced some key rotational pieces and younger players to stay. Jace Gilbert, Zaimir Hawk, Jack Limbaugh, Vontroy Malone and Trey Verdon provided him with a nice talent base to build around.

And build around that group is what he has done. A lot of the players who have followed Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit from the Washington State Cougars to Iowa State, just as the case has been with Matt Campbell and the Penn State Nittany Lions, have been on the defensive side of the ball.

Iowa State secures commitment from Isaac Terrell from Washington State

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Washington State Cougars defensive end Isaac Terrell (88) forces Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) to fumble during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The most recent addition to that list is veteran defensive lineman Isaac Terrell. He announced on his Instagram that he was leaving Pullman for Ames, following the coaches he just played under during the 2025 campaign.

Terrell will provide a much-needed boost coming off the edge for the Cyclones' defense. This past fall, while appearing in 12 games, he recorded 28 total tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks. He added one pass defended and one fumble recovery.

Just as the case was for the Washington State defense, his tackles for loss and sacks numbers both would have led the Iowa State defense in 2025. Linebacker Caleb Bacon had the most sacks with three, while safety Marcus Neal Jr. had the most tackles for loss with 11.

***FOOTBALL RECRUITING*** BREAKING: In a post on his Instagram page, Washington State DL transfer Isaac Terrell has announced his commitment to Iowa State. He will have one season of eligibility remaining in Ames.https://t.co/Bn9aCVNhwa pic.twitter.com/0WHAwBHhrI

— Bill Seals (@williamseals) January 9, 2026

Terrell played 409 snaps for the Cougars' defense this past fall and earned elite marks from PFF. His 85.9 overall defensive grade was the best on the defense amongst players who logged at least 100 snaps.

Unsurprisingly, his pass-rushing grade of 84.4 was the highest mark of the individual grades. However, he was no slouch in the run game. His 79.5 run defense grade is very respectable, providing Rogers and Bobbit with a well-known entity to anchor their defensive line on the edge.

Terrell is the 33rd player to commit to the Cyclones from the transfer portal. He is the 13th former Washington State player to announce they are coming to Ames and the seventh defensive lineman.