Iowa State Football FCS Transfer Was Standout in Spring Session

The Iowa State Cyclones football team is going to look almost entirely different in 2026 compared to the team that took the field to end the 2025 season.

New head coach Jimmy Rogers left no stone unturned to restock a roster that lost more than 50 players to the transfer portal following Matt Campbell’s acceptance of the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Cyclones were able to secure commitments from players leaving other Power Conference schools, Group of 5 programs, the JUCO level and FCS teams. All of them are going to have a chance to prove why they should be part of the team’s game plan once the season rolls around.

One player who stood out during the spring sessions is cornerback Seth Johnson. A transfer from the Montana State Bobcats, he has been making incredible strides during practice and has stood out in the eyes of cornerbacks coach Mike Banks.

Seth Johnson impressing cornerbacks coach Mike Banks

Iowa State cornerbacks coach Mike Banks talks to media. — Iowa State cornerbacks coach Mike Banks talks to media during the football defensive coaches media opportunity at the university’s Stark Performance Center on Feb. 13, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Seth Johnson is another guy that is taking steps. I'm happy with where he is right now. You know, with him being at Montana State a year ago, he's played a lot of football, and you can kind of see that. He's a savvy football player, and he's another kid that's always in the right spot,” Banks said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network.

Johnson was a three-star player in the transfer portal with an 86 rating in the 247 Transfer Rankings. He was the No. 970-ranked player overall and No. 104 amongst players at his position.

As a redshirt freshman, he made a great impact on the Bobcats’ defensive backfield. He played in all 14 games, including six starts, recording 28 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, forced one fumble and had four passes defended.

Seth Johnson can help elevate Cyclones' secondary

Jul 14, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Iowa State Cyclones helmet logo during the Big 12 Media Day at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Montana State went 14-2 last season and won the FCS National Championship, which he had a major hand in accomplishing.

It is encouraging to hear that he is taking so well to learning a new defense. There will be some major adjustments going from the FCS level to the Big 12, but it certainly sounds as if he will be ready for the challenge.

Johnson certainly sounds like he could be in the mix for playing time right away under defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbitt. With three years of eligibility remaining, he could be a main cog in this unit to build around for years to come.

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