Iowa State Cyclones' Star Defensive Back Will Enter Transfer Portal

The Iowa State Cyclones will be losing a star defensive back to the transfer portal

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

The Iowa State Cyclones have seen a lot of changes over the past couple of weeks, and with the transfer portal opening up soon, the team is starting to see key players announce their intentions to leave. 

As expected, following the loss of Matt Campbell to the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Cyclones have seen a ton of turnover both in their coaching staff, recruiting class, and now their roster. Recently, star quarterback Rocco Becht announced that he would be entering the transfer portal for his final season, and now some of the other talented players on the roster are starting to follow him. 

When new head coach Jimmy Rogers took over, he stated during his introductory press conference that he was going to be trying to retain some of the talent on the team. However, he also admitted that, with how college football works now, he was prepared to rebuild the team through the transfer portal if needed. 

That appears to be the direction that he is going to have to go in, with another key player announcing that he will be entering the portal. Recently, defensive back Jeremiah Cooper announced that he will be heading into the portal. 

Another Blow for Iowa State

Thankyou ❤️🌪️ pic.twitter.com/6RfPNQq9oD

— Jeremiah Cooper (@jeremiah1cooper) December 21, 2025

Even though he missed a good chunk of the year in 2025 following an ACL injury, Cooper was one of the best players on the defense for the Cyclones. It was no surprise that following his injury, the defense struggled a bit. 

As a multi-year starter, the talented defensive back played both safety and cornerback for the team and was a key member of the group. Now, he will be the latest of Iowa State’s players to enter the portal. 

Cooper’s ability to be an impact player on the defensive side of the ball should make him a very appealing player on the open market, and it will be interesting to see the amount of interest that he draws. 

Like some of his teammates, going to Penn State to follow his coaches is undoubtedly going to be a possibility. Cooper could easily slide into most secondaries and be a starter right away, assuming he recovers properly from his ACL surgery. 

Overall, expect to see more names announce that they will be going into the portal in the coming days. Rogers is going to have to completely overhaul this roster, it appears, with how things have been going, and that will be a challenging task for the new head coach.