Division II Transfer Could Make Positive Impact for Iowa State Cyclones' O-Line

Will a transfer from Division II be able to win a starting job with the Iowa State Cyclones?

Jul 12, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Iowa State Cyclones helmet and logo during Big 12 football media day at AT&T Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones continue to be very busy with the transfer portal open, and the team has done a nice job so far of adding talent. However, one area in particular has been a focus early on. 

Coming into the portal opening up, Jimmy Rogers knew that he was going to have a lot of work to do. A majority of the players on the team made it clear that they were going to be leaving, and that should come as no surprise with a new coach coming in. Many of these players have started to follow Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions, while some others have explored other opportunities. 

Just like Campbell has been bringing in some of his old players to his new school, so has Rogers. The new head coach of Iowa State has done a strong job of bringing in both recruits and players from the Washington State Cougars so far. 

There is still plenty of work to do for Rogers and the coaching staff, but they are off to a good start. So far, one area that the team has really been focused on improving is the offensive line. They have brought in a ton of players to help rebuild this unit, and the Cyclones are going to have a lot of quality depth in the trenches. 

Recently, they were able to grab a talented Division II lineman in Cade Myer, who will be coming over from the Colorado School of Mines. 

Myer Looking to Take Next Step

Praise God! Time to work!🌪️🌪️@CycloneFB @CoachThornton61 pic.twitter.com/FY3kpvK98H

— Cade Myer (@cadenmyer) January 7, 2026

The talented offensive lineman was a starter and a team captain in 2025 for his school and helped the team have one of the best rushing attacks in his conference. At 6’2”, 305 pounds, Myer looks the part and should have no issues with the bump in competition with some excellent size. 

Myer appears to be willing to play wherever the team needs him to in 2026, and having the ability to play multiple positions along the offensive line is a great luxury to have in a player. 

For the Cyclones, they are going to be trying to establish a hard-nosed identity on offense and likely will be trying to run the football a lot. Having a good offensive line is key to that, and with the depth that this unit has, competition should bring out the best in them. 

This is an excellent opportunity for Myer, proving that all of his hard work over the past few years has paid off in coming to a Division I school, and a very strong one with the Cyclones.