Iowa State Cyclones Star Offensive Lineman Shares He Has Declared for NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft class will feature an Iowa State Cyclones star offensive lineman.

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Iowa State Cyclones offensive lineman Jim Bonifas (63) prepares to hike the ball in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones roster is going to look vastly different in 2026 than it did when the 2025 season came to a close.

A coaching change, with Matt Campbell heading to the Penn State Nittany Lions and being replaced by Jimmy Rogers, is a big reason for that. Several members of the roster have entered the transfer portal, and multiple players from the Class of 2026 decommitted from the Cyclones and have already flipped to the Nittany Lions.

However, there are also some players on the team who have either exhausted their college eligibility or are turning their focus to becoming a professional football player.

That is what punter Tyler Perkins did recently, declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. He is going to be joined in the player pool by at least one more of his teammates, with offensive lineman Jim Bonifas declaring as well.

Jim Bonifas reveals he has declared for NFL Draft

Aug 30, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones offensive lineman Jim Bonifas (63) blocks for Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) against the South Dakota Coyotes at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

He took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message, thanking everyone who has helped him get to this point in his football career. That includes family, coaches and teammates he has crossed paths with throughout his time at Iowa State.

Bonifas had to earn his spot in the starting lineup for the Cyclones in 2025. After a disappointing 2023 campaign, in which he recorded an underwhelming PFF grade of 53.1, he was relegated to a backup role in 2024.

He was on the field for only 65 snaps that season, receiving 44 at center, four at right guard, one at right tackle and 16 as an in-line tight end. Albeit in a small sample size, his performance was much-improved with a PFF grade of 75.3.

Bonifas was back in the starting lineup for 2025, and it was the correct decision by the coaching staff. He was one of the team’s most productive players on the offensive side of the ball, producing an overall grade of 73.1.

Quarterback Rocco Becht and running backs Abu Sama III and Carson Hansen were the only starters who graded out better than him. The next closest grade for an offensive lineman was Brendan Black with a 67.1.

Jim Bonifas has improved immensely with Iowa State

Oct 28, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) celebrates with Iowa State Cyclones offensive lineman Jim Bonifas (63) after scoring a touchdown against the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Where Bonifas excelled was as a pass blocker. His 78.5 pass blocking grade was the best amongst the offensive linemen on the team who were on the field for at least 50 snaps.

He was no slouch as a run blocker either, earning a grade of 69.6. Again, that was the best mark amongst offensive linemen on the team who played at least 50 snaps.

Bonifas was on the field for 845 snaps in 2025, 419 of which were as a pass blocker. He didn’t allow a single sack on the year, while surrendering only eight pressures and one quarterback hit.

A clean brand of football was played, being flagged only twice the entire year, and only one of which was accepted. His future looks incredibly bright given the improvements that he has made on the field this year.