Iowa State Football’s Starting Offensive Line Emerging

The starting group for the Iowa State Cyclones offensive line is beginning to take shape.

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman Jake Taylor (79) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

During the spring session, which consisted of 15 practices and a scrimmage, the Iowa State Cyclones had several prominent roles up for grabs.

That is what happens when 50+ players enter the transfer portal and a new coaching staff is brought into town. There will be a lot of opportunities for playing time with virtually everyone entering on a clean slate.

Plenty of new faces are going to be on the field for the Cyclones this fall, with almost the entire roster featuring some turnover. One positional group that is going to look vastly different is the offensive line.

Jimmy Rogers had to restock basically the entire depth chart in the trenches. Jim Bonifas, Tyler Miller, James Neal III and Dylan Barrett all graduated. Brendan Black and Trevor Buhr hit the transfer portal, leaving the depth chart very thin.

Iowa State's offensive line depth chart rounding into shape

Iowa State offensive line coach Jake Thornton talks to media during a media opportunity at Stark Performance center on Feb. 11, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In need of an entire starting lineup and depth pieces, the Cyclones hit the transfer portal hard. Nine players were added via the transfer portal, and the first look at how the starting lineup could shake out was revealed during the spring scrimmage, as shared by Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).

In a surprise turn of events for some people, one of the holdovers, Garrett Rutledge, was on the one line after being primarily used as a special teams player previously. He was joined by four of the transfers, which could be viewed as the team’s starting lineup, for now.

Caden Maas, a transfer from Sioux Falls, Jake Taylor, a transfer from the Oklahoma Sooners, Braden Smith, a transfer from Tarleton State and Colin Amick, a transfer from Montana, joined Rutledge.

While those players look to have set themselves apart in the early going, there is still plenty of time for things to change. Nothing is set in stone, and there are plenty of other talented players who will push for a role in the lineup.

There are some Power Conference transfers, Gavin Broscious and DeAndre Carter, formerly of the Michigan State Spartans and Auburn Tigers, who will certainly push the players currently on the one-line.

As will Maasai King, a transfer from the Arkon Zips, who brings incredible experience to the group as a redshirt senior. Austin Barrett and Gabe Greenlee are two more holdovers from Matt Campbell’s regime who are also redshirt seniors.

Competition along the offensive line is going to be fierce over the summer and when training camp starts ahead of the 2026 college football season.