Iowa State Cyclones Smart for Putting Focus on Blockers in Transfer Portal Early

Since the transfer portal has opened, the Iowa State Cyclones have put an emphasis on improving their blocking.

Jan 2, 2021; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an Iowa State Cyclones helmet during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When Jimmy Rogers accepted the head coach position with the Iowa State Cyclones, he knew that there would have to be work done on the roster.

As is the case whenever a coaching change occurs, players will evaluate their future with the program. Unfortunately for Iowa State, a large portion of their 2025 roster, who were eligible to return, felt that Ames was no longer the right fit for them.

Over 50 players entered the transfer portal, and a large chunk of them have already committed to following Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions. One position that Rogers was going to have to fix, even if so many players didn’t enter the portal, was the offensive line.

Brendan Black, a three-year starter, and Trevor Buhr, a key piece of the rotation up front, transfered to the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Penn State. Dylan Barrett declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, as did center Jim Bonifas. Left tackle James Neal III and right tackle Trevor Miller had no eligibility remaining.

Iowa State has succeeded replacing talent in trenches

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during a timeout in the Cy-Hawk men's basketball game on Dec. 11, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That is a lot of talent in one positional group to replace. Which is why it has been smart for Rogers and his staff to target so many blockers early in the transfer portal.

19 players have committed to the Cyclones from the portal; six of them have been along the offensive line. Don’t discount tight end Tyler Fortenberry, who recorded 32 receptions for 294 yards and two touchdowns last season, but excelled as a pass blocker. He earned a 67.8 PFF grade in 65 snaps.

Iowa State has not left any stones unturned when it comes to finding talent to infuse into their offensive line depth chart. They have gone to the FCS for some help, landing Gavin Proudfoot from the Northern Iowa Panthers and Colin Amick from the Montana Grizzlies.

Amick was highly sought after as a long-term building block in the trenches. The Nebraska Cornhuskers, UCLA Bruins and Oklahoma State Cowboys were also in on him, but he selected the Cyclones.

***FOOTBALL RECRUITING*** BREAKING: #IowaState lands another future offensive line piece, as Montana transfer Colin Amick tells me he's given the coaching staff his commitment during an official visit. Nebraska, UCLA, Oklahoma State were also involved.https://t.co/jfpxldEzIA pic.twitter.com/zPkVWJIRFx

— Bill Seals (@williamseals) January 6, 2026

From the Akron Zips in the MAC, they secured a commitment from offensive tackle Maasai King. Another flip from the Washington State Cougars, Rogers’s previous job, occurred with Trevor Bindel coming to Ames.

Help will be coming from a few Power Conference programs as well. Interior offensive lineman DeAndre Carter committed to the Cyclones from the Auburn Tigers. He will be following offensive line coach Jake Thornton, who was hired as part of Rogers’s first staff.

Jake Taylor, a standout on the interior of the offensive line from the Oklahoma Sooners, is also coming to Iowa State. When healthy, he has proven to be a high-level performer on the field as a starter for the SEC powerhouse.