Iowa State Cyclones Defense Suffers Major Loss With Star Entering Transfer Portal

The Iowa State Cyclones are losing a great defensive player to the transfer portal.

Jul 8, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Iowa State defensive back Jontez Williams answers questions from the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to look a lot different on the field in 2026 than they have in recent years. With Jimmy Rogers being hired to take over for Matt Campbell, who is now the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, there will be a change in schemes on the field.

The players filling the roles on the field will also be different. There have been some impactful players who have already announced their intention to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 2.

Commits in the Class of 2026 have also decommitted, reopening their recruitment to see what is best for their football careers moving forward. Rogers was hoping to retain as much talent as possible, but that has proven a difficult task.

He will have to figure things out offensively now that quarterback Rocco Becht has made the difficult decision to enter the transfer portal. Defensively, the coaching staff will have to do it without one of the leaders from the last few years as well.

Jontez Williams announces he is entering transfer portal

Iowa State defensive back Jontez Williams stands for a portrait during Iowa State football media day at Jack Trice Stadium on July 25, 2025, in Ames. | Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Star cornerback Jontez Williams announced on his X account that he is also entering the transfer portal. He shared a heartfelt message, thanking everyone who has helped him through this point.

Cyclone 4L❤️ pic.twitter.com/SzfnYu55v5

— j0ntez_ (@JontezWilliams) December 20, 2025

Just the other day, Williams responded to his positional coach, Hank Poteat, sharing an update on his status moving forward with the school. With his tenure with the Cyclones sounding like it may be coming to an end, it may have made things a little easier for Williams.

The star cornerback’s tenure with Iowa State comes to an end with him on the sidelines. He was hurt in Week 5 against the Arizona Wildcats, suffering a knee injury that ended up being of the season-ending variety.

Prior to the injury, Williams solidified his status as arguably the best player on a strong defense. His PFF grade was the highest on the team, showcasing excellent playmaking ability through five games.

Through those contests, he had 14 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception and three passes defended. In 2024, his first as a full-time player defensively, he had 46 total tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions and five passes defended.

Iowa State has huge shoes to fill with Jontez Williams leaving

Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Jontez Williams (3) celebrates with fans after winning over Arizona in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A rising redshirt junior, it will be interesting to see where he opts to take his talents to finish out his collegiate career. The rehab process will be an important part of his decision as he works his way back to health.

Williams is the fourth defensive back who has entered the transfer portal. Before the regular season ended, Joshua Patterson announced he would be leaving the program. Quentin Taylor Jr. made his announcement right around the time Campbell departed.

Earlier this week, Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman also shared he was entering the transfer portal, leaving Rogers and his staff in desperate need of adding depth in their secondary.