Wide Receiver Transfer Has Earned Starting Spot With Iowa State Football

Iowa State Cyclones fans aren’t going to recognize many of the players who were on the sidelines during spring practices.

The program underwent massive turnover with head coach Matt Campbell heading to the Penn State Nittany Lions and being replaced by Jimmy Rogers. More than 50 players entered the transfer portal, which meant plenty of holes on the roster to address.

One of the positional groups that features very few familiar faces is wide receiver. Dominic Overby is the only returning player after recording 87 receiving yards in 2025 and scoring two touchdowns.

He looks like he will be in a mix for a starting spot, but one of his new teammates really shone. Cody Jackson, a transfer from the Tarleton State Texans, was a standout performer this spring and has cemented a starting role.

Cody Jackson was standout performer in spring

Tarleton State Texans wide receiver Cody Jackson (2) runs after a catch. — Aug 29, 2025; West Point, New York, USA; Tarleton State Texans wide receiver Cody Jackson (2) runs after a catch against the Army Black Knights during the second half at Michie Stadium. | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

“Cody Jackson did an unbelievable job,” Roehl said after the spring game, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “I think you see his ability to create separation on some of your deeper play action, even incorporating the run game.”

Jackson is coming off a great season at the FCS level, catching 53 passes for 799 yards and six touchdowns. That kind of explosiveness is exactly what Roehl was mentioning as a way to expand the running game.

If opponents are worried about him taking the top off the defense, it will open things up around the line of scrimmage for the running game to get going. Listed at 6-feet and 175 pounds, he can be a legitimate difference maker for Iowa State.

“He really flourished, I’d say even the last six to seven practices. And his ability to, okay, who are you going to potentially go to in a got to have it situation? He’s a guy that you can start to potentially game plan for. So happy with his growth as well.”

NEW: Iowa State is finding new answers at wide receiver — and has one name you might not know yet👀

Cody Jackson (Tarleton State transfer) was the spring showcase standout, scoring twice and earning praise as a "got to have it" target.

Intel: https://t.co/HPMohT0t53 pic.twitter.com/0Rf3o9qR36
— Bill Seals (@williamseals) April 29, 2026

Despite spending the last three years at the FCS level, Jackson knows what it takes to compete at the highest level of college football. He started his career in the Big 12 with the Oklahoma Sooners before playing one season with the Houston Cougars in the American Athletic Conference, and then transferring to Tarleton State.

He had only five receptions as a true freshman with Oklahoma in two games, getting a redshirt. Unfortunately, things didn’t go much better with Houston, but he flourished with the Texans to get back to a Power Conference program.

With one year of eligibility remaining, he looks like he will be a main target for Jaylen Raynor in the passing game for the Cyclones in 2026.

Add us as a preferred source on Google