Iowa State Cyclones Taking Quantity Over Quality Approach in Transfer Portal

The Iowa State Cyclones have brought in a ton of players in the transfer portal, but find themselves rather far down the rankings.

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

The Iowa State Cyclones have had as busy a transfer portal cycle as any team in college football.

Following their coaching change, there was a mass exodus of players from the roster. Matt Campbell left for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was replaced by Jimmy Rogers, formerly of the Washington State Cougars.

More than 50 players entered the portal, with the Oklahoma State Cowboys being the only program that lost more. However, there wasn’t a team that lost as much quality as Iowa State, with a nation-leading 16 starters leaving in the portal.

That left Rogers with quite a lot of work to do with his roster. To this point, he has done a great job restocking the team's talent, securing commitments from 42 players. Only Oklahoma State, with 49, has more.

Where did Iowa State land in transfer portal rankings?

Jimmy Rogers speaks during his introductory press conference as Iowa State’s new head football coach on Dec. 8, 2025, at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, there is one major difference between the transfer portal additions of the two programs: the Cowboys have found quality and quantity, with their haul ranking No. 5 in the country over at 247Sports. The Cyclones, on the other hand, are way down the rankings at No. 57.

Their 42 players have an average ranking of 85.15 and accrued 22.73 points. The biggest reason for that is that Iowa State hasn’t secured a single commitment from a player who was ranked above three stars.

Similarly to what occurred with Campbell, when Cyclones followed him to Penn State, former Washington State players followed Rogers to Iowa State. Alas, those players weren’t as highly ranked as the ones they are replacing.

There are certainly talented players in the group that Rogers has secured commitments from, and there will be a lot of continuity with the players who decided to continue their careers playing for him.

Who will emerge as impact performer for Iowa State?

Sep 14, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) throws against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Michigan Stadium. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

But seeing their place in the transfer portal team rankings is a bit jarring. Especially when taking into consideration how highly ranked the Nittany Lions' class is. They are No. 4 with an average ranking of 87.11 and 52.90 points, with a class made up mostly of former Cyclones.

While fans who are seeing this will likely come away disappointed, it likely isn’t something the coaching staff is overly worried about. They are bringing in players who they believe fit into their plans to continue expanding on the incredible foundation that Campbell has put into place.

As quarterback Jaylen Raynor, formerly of the Arkansas State Red Wolves, stated, Rogers is looking to win now. That is one of the things that contributed to him committing to Iowa State in the transfer portal.