Iowa State Cyclones Hosting Auburn Tigers Offensive Linemen for Visit

An Auburn Tigers offensive linemen in the transfer portal is visiting the Iowa State Cyclones.

Sep 23, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of an Auburn Tigers helmet on the sideline of the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

New Iowa State Cyclones head coach Jimmy Rogers has his work cut out for him with how many players from their roster have entered the transfer portal.

Some positional groups have been hit hard by attrition, with starters, rotational players and depth pieces alike entering the portal. Rogers has had a few key pieces announce they are sticking with the program despite Matt Campbell leaving for the Penn State Nittany Lions, but there is work to do in the trenches.

On the offensive side of the ball, the entire starting line isn’t coming back. Center Jim Bonifas, left tackle James Neal III and right tackle Tyler Miller have exhausted their eligibility. Interior offensive lineman Dylan Barrett declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Three-year starter Brendan Black and Trevor Buhr both entered the transfer portal as well.

That leaves Austin Barrett, the younger brother of Dylan, as the most experienced player coming back with 52 snaps played in 2025. That is what makes the offensive line recruits in the Class of 2026 so important; the team needs depth in the trenches.

Iowa State hosting DeAndre Carter for visit

Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; A detail view of an Auburn Tigers helmet on the sideline during the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

However, those players won’t replace the experience that is being lost. For that, Rogers will have to find help in the transfer portal.

This weekend, Iowa State is set to host DeAndre Carter, a former Auburn Tigers interior lineman who entered the transfer portal. A member of the Class of 2024, he won’t address the lack of playing experience with only 66 snaps in two years. But he has three years of eligibility remaining.

Another selling point of Carter coming to the Cyclones is that he knows the coaching staff well. One of the additions Rogers made to his coaching staff was Jake Thornton, the new offensive line coach who came from Auburn.

Adding Carter would be a huge boost to the team’s offensive line depth. Coming out of powerhouse Mater Dei High School, he was a three-star recruit. Now, he is a four-star recruit on 247Sports.

Auburn OL DeAndre Carter is visiting Iowa State this weekend, @PeteNakos reports. https://t.co/dlArX6m4CW

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 3, 2026

Over at Rivals, he is the No. 805-ranked player overall in the transfer portal and the No. 62-ranked interior offensive lineman.

Iowa State is likely going to face a lot of competition for him on the portal. Coming out of high school, he received 28 offers overall. All but three of them came from Power Conference schools, showcasing just how highly-sought after of a player he was.

There has been a lot of focus on the offensive line early on, with Rogers setting up visits with several players in the trenches already.