Iowa State Cyclones Defense Gets Massive Boost With Two Players Staying in Ames

Two Iowa State Cyclones players have announced they aren't leaving the program.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Zaimir Hawk (53) reacts to a fumble recovery against the Utah Utes during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The last few weeks have been difficult for Iowa State Cyclones fans. They saw the winningest coach in franchise history, Matt Campbell, accept the head coach position with the Penn State Nittany Lions, setting off a brutal chain of events.

On Signing Day on Dec. 3, there were 22 players committed to the Cyclones. Now, only seven holdovers remain, with a large portion of the group being released from their letter of commitments and reopening their recruitment.

A few players have already committed to Penn State, following Campbell. The same is expected to occur with several of the players from the 2025 roster who have eligibility remaining, deciding to enter the transfer portal.

40+ players have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 2. There are a few more players who have yet to make a decision, but there is finally some good news in terms of players not leaving the program.

Zaimir Hawk, Brylan Barnes sticking with Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Kooper Ebel (47) and defensive line Zaimir Hawk (53) takes down Texas Tech Red Raiders' quarterback Behren Morton (2) during the first quarter in the week-10 NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Linebacker Rylan Barnes announced that he is remaining committed to Iowa State. He shared a post on X saying “staying home” with two Cyclones emojis.

Staying home!🌪️🌪️ pic.twitter.com/T3gjLFSHQB

— Rylan Barnes (@rylan_barnes) December 31, 2025

A rising sophomore, he has been a key contributor to the team over the last two years. In 2024, he made an impact as a true freshman walk-on, recording 30 tackles. This past year, his role on defense diminished, but he was a key member of the special team units, with 10 tackles.

The other player who announced that he won’t be leaving Ames is defensive tackle Zaimir Hawk. A backup to the NFL-bound Domonique Orange, this is big news for new head coach Jimmy Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit.

A redshirt sophomore, Hawk played a role behind Orange this year in the defensive line rotation. He recorded eight tackles in the middle of the 3-3-5 scheme that former defensive coordinator Jon Heacock deployed.

With Iowa State switching to a 4-2-5 alignment, there will be more of an emphasis put on bolstering the defensive line depth. Retaining a player of Hawk’s caliber is excellent news for the coaching staff.

Iowa State's defensive line will get a big boost as defensive tackle Zaimir Hawk announces he will return in 2026.

As a redshirt sophomore, Hawk recorded eight tackles while playing in the middle of the 3-3-5 behind Dom Orange.

Hawk has two years of eligibility and will be a… pic.twitter.com/8sxeyp82Hm

— Cyclone Fanatic (@cyclonefanatic) December 31, 2025

As two of the most experienced players returning to the roster, it would not be a surprise to see both Barnes and Hawk playing prominent roles in 2026 despite the new coaching staff. There has been a ridiculous amount of attrition on this roster, and the new coaches are going to rely on what little experience is being held over.

There will assuredly be players who come to the Cyclones, following Rogers from the Cougars, just as the case is with Campbell heading to the Nittany Lions. But knowing there are some established players sticking around certainly takes some of the pressure off the new support staff that Rogers announced will be joining him in Ames.