Iowa State Cyclones Offer Extremely Talented Tight End Transfer

The Iowa State Cyclones have offered an appealing tight end transfer

Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Iowa State Cyclones helmets on the bench during the first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

As the Iowa State Cyclones continue to try to weather the storm following the departure of Matt Campbell, the team is in need of adding some talent. Recently, they have offered an appealing player at the tight end position. 

It has been a wild couple of weeks for the Cyclones, and things are only just starting. With the transfer portal set to open up just after the new year, Iowa State is beginning to see some key players let it be known that they are leaving. 

Due to Coach Campbell's heading to Penn State Nittany Lions, it is no surprise that some players who were either recruited by him or have played for him are seeking to leave the program. This is undoubtedly the nature of the beast in college football these days, and that is only amplified when a coach leaves for a new program. 

While the Cyclones are going to be losing talent, they are also going to be bringing some in from Jimmy Rogers’ former team. Coming off a win in the Idaho Potato Bowl, Iowa State will undoubtedly be looking to add some talent from the Cougars. 

With the Cyclones expected to lose more players to the transfer portal, they will have to start to aggressively use the portal to their advantage as well. Recently, they have offered tight end Luke Dehnicke.

Dehnicke Could Be a Great Addition

Iowa state offered! @Coach_Roehl pic.twitter.com/Fxfvqmz8cD

— Luke Dehnicke (@LDehnicke) December 23, 2025

While he might not be a household name, Dehnicke put up some impressive stats for Minnesota Duluth as a redshirt freshman in 2025. This season, he totaled 61 receptions, 1,119 receiving yards, and 14 receiving touchdowns. 

Thanks to a fantastic campaign, he is considered to be a three-star prospect according to Rivals and is the number seven-ranked tight end in the portal. With a new coaching staff coming in for the Cyclones, it is going to be Tyler Roehl taking over as the offensive coordinator. 

The former running backs coach of Iowa State will be finishing up the year as the tight ends coach for the Detroit Lions and then returning to Ames. As an NFL coach at the position, it should be very appealing and a great selling point when it comes to recruiting a player like Dehnicke at the position. 

In recent years, the tight end position has been a strong one for the Cyclones. With uncertainty at that position as of now, offering Dehnicke makes a lot of sense, and there is clearly some upside for him in the receiving game.