Iowa State Cyclones Lose Another Key Defender to Penn State in Transfer Portal

The Iowa State Cyclones saw another key player leave for the Penn State Nittany Lions in the transfer portal.

Nov 19, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; A Penn State Nittany Lions helmet is seen with a sticker honoring the Virginia football players who were victims of a shooting on the University of Virginia campus, on November thirteenth 2022, during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It has been a hectic couple of weeks for the Iowa State Cyclones, who continue to battle in the transfer portal. 

Not too long ago, this was a team that lost their head coach Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions, setting up a massive ripple effect for the program. In the day and age of the transfer portal, many players let it be known that they would be heading elsewhere. 

New head coach Jimmy Rogers undoubtedly tried to keep some of the established talent around, but Campbell was a well-respected coach, and players seeking other opportunities were understandable. 

So far, the former coach of the Cyclones has done an excellent job in bringing in some of his players from the 2025 team. A majority of that talent has been brought over from Iowa State and has been on the offensive side of the ball, with stars like Rocco Becht heading to Penn State. However, the team has recently been able to bring in one of their top defensive players to help provide them with a starting-caliber lineman on that side of the ball. 

Penn State Continues to Bring in More Iowa State Talent

BREAKING: Penn State adds another former Iowa State starter in defensive lineman Ikenna Ezeogu.

Story: https://t.co/6r4cSE14Ae pic.twitter.com/ny8E0Sywpn

— Blue White Illustrated (@PennStateOn3) January 14, 2026

As soon as Campbell left and took the Penn State job, and his coaching staff started to come along, it became very clear that a lot of talent was going to be following him. The amount of talent that has followed him has resulted in the Nittany Lions being in a strong position for 2026. 

The former Cyclones head coach will undoubtedly be looking to hit the ground running, and bringing in players he’s familiar with will help quite a bit. With the addition of Ikenna Ezeogu, Penn State will be getting a very talented starter from the Cyclones who could make an impact right away. 

While Ezeogu might not be a stat sheet stuffer, he is a good player and will undoubtedly play a significant role for Iowa State early on. According to Rivals Industry Rankings, he was the 52nd-best defensive lineman in the portal, making this another substantial addition for Penn State. 

For Iowa State, adding defensive talent has been a significant focus of the team, especially along the defensive line. With the Cyclones expected to go to having four down linemen, depth up front will be key. While it would have been nice to keep Ezeogu, Rogers and his coaching staff have done a nice job of bringing in some talent.