Big 10 Program Poses Threat to Iowa State Cyclones for Recruit Taylor Schaefer

Which school from the Big 10 poses a threat to the Iowa State Cyclones for a key recruit?

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

The Iowa State Cyclones will be hoping to put some of the final touches on their 2026 recruiting class in the coming weeks. 

Following an upset win against the TCU Horned Frogs, the Cyclones are now bowl eligible with six wins and a couple more winnable games coming up after their bye week. Hopefully, the week off will allow the team to get a little bit healthier, with their injury report seemingly growing every week. 

While the players might be getting some rest, the coaching staff is working hard on trying to finish up their 2026 recruiting class. With a couple of needs still for the program, they have identified a few positions that they would like to add some more talent to.

Even though the team hitting a bit of a rough patch in the middle of the year might have hurt a bit, they have a chance to finish strong. Furthermore, with a ton of turmoil in the coaching ranks around the nation, the Cyclones have a steady hand in Matt Campbell. 

Alec Busse of 247Sports recently wrote about the Cyclones hoping to land three-star linebacker recruit Taylor Schaefer but could see some stiff competition from the Nebraska Cornhuskers from the Big 10. 

Cornhuskers Pose a Threat

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As the recruiting process starts to come to an end, adding a linebacker is undoubtedly a need for them, and Schaefer is a talented three-star prospect. However, as expected, there are some other teams that are going to be pursuing him, and the competition could be stiff. 

In the SEC, the Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats both have offers out for him. Fortunately for the Cyclones compared to those schools, they have a much better structure in place compared to those two schools with Campbell as the coach. 

While they might have the advantage over those two programs, the Nebraska Cornhuskers also have an offer out for him. This is a program that has really turned it around with Matt Ruhle taking over. Amid the coaching carousel, Ruhle was a name frequently mentioned for the Penn State Nittany Lions job but ultimately locked in an extension with the Cornhuskers.

Of those three schools, it seems likely that Nebraska is going to be the top competition for the Cyclones to bring in Schaefer. The JUCO transfer would likely be able to come in and help right away, which would be another significant addition to the 2026 class.