Projecting Iowa State Football Starters for 2026 Season

The starting lineup for the Iowa State Cyclones football team is going to look a lot different this upcoming season.

Iowa State Cyclones kicker Kyle Konrardy (97) looks at the ball after a game winning field goal against Iowa during the fourth quarter in the Cy-Hawk football at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are entering the next era of college football.

With a new head coach, Jimmy Rogers, in charge of the program, he hopes to bring Iowa State the sustained success that the past regime had. But it’s going to be tough.

With what feels like an underwhelming roster, the Cyclones are going to have to rely on a few stars to help them succeed in 2026.

Let’s take a look at the projected starters for Iowa State football next season.

Iowa State will have plenty of new faces in starting lineup

Iowa State running back Easton Miller (25) breaks a tackle from defensive tackle Zaimir Hawk (0) and runs for a first down during Spring football at Jack Trice Stadium on April 25, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At quarterback, it’s going to be simple. The Cyclones are going to roll with Jaylen Raynor as their starter. After playing well for three straight years with the Arkansas State Red Wolves, he joins with the hopes of leading Iowa State to the promised land.

At running back, the Cyclones should start Cameron Pettaway. He played well in his freshman season for the Bowling Green Falcons and hopes to continue that this upcoming fall in a new system after transferring.

At wide receiver, Iowa State should start Omari Hayes, Cody Jackson, and Dominic Overby. The three all come from different situations, but all have done a great job in their role. Now, they all come together with hopes of helping the Cyclones.

Iowa State’s tight end will likely be Tyler Fortenberry, Raynor’s target with Arkansas State. He could be a solid option for the Cyclones next season.

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— Iowa State Athletics (@CycloneATH) May 8, 2026

The offensive line will likely be Maasai King, Colin Amick, Jake Taylor, Gavin Broscious, and Braden Smith. Many come from different levels, typically power four backups or a group of five starters.

The defensive line starters should be Issac Terrell, Caden Crawford, Malakai Ta’ase, and Bryson Lamb. Three of the four come from the Washington State Cougars, where they all did well playing under Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, while Crawford came from the FCS South Dakota Coyotes.

The starting linebackers should be Montreze Smith, Sullivan Schlimgen, and Carson Willich. The three come from all different levels, but hope to come together next season.

At cornerback are two sophomores, David Coffey and Seth Johnson. Neither is super proven, but they do have potential at a young age.

Get to know the Clones at QB and WR @CycloneFB🌪️

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— Iowa State Athletics (@CycloneATH) April 30, 2026

Iowa State’s safeties should be Drew Surges and Duhron Goodman. With the injury to Braden Awls, the Cyclones have to use different players to help them prevent long balls next season.

The starting kicker should once again be Kyle Konrardy, and the starting punter should be Ethan Gurney.

Overall, the roster isn’t fantastic, but it certainly has solid players that could come together to create a bowl game-level team. If Rogers can allow these players to flourish, there are still positives ahead of the season.