Iowa State Football Should Feel Like Key Position Group is a Strength

The Iowa State Cyclones have wrapped up their spring practices, and the team is starting to take shape for next season. With a lot of new faces, there are going to be some interesting positions to keep an eye on.

Following the Cyclones losing a majority of their roster to the transfer portal, new head coach Jimmy Rogers was tasked with having to rebuild the program and he did a solid job in doing so.

While Iowa State won’t have the same amount of talent in 2026 compared to 2025, they have a lot of depth, and Rogers has proven that he is a good coach. Of the players that the team lost to the transfer portal, one of the most notable was quarterback Rocco Becht.

The talented quarterback was going to be entering his senior season in 2026, and with three years of experience as a starter, could have been a game-changer for the program. Losing a player of that caliber is a massive blow, and finding a new quarterback was undoubtedly not an easy task.

However, even though they didn’t land one of the top names available in the portal, the Cyclones did, add some quality depth, and a senior who figures to be the starter. Even though losing Becht was a significant blow, the quarterback room could be a strength.

Quarterback Room an Early Strength

Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor running the ball — Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) runs with the ball during Spring football at Jack Trice Stadium on April 25, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At the most important position on the field, Iowa State is going to have some solid options led by Arkansas State transfer Jaylen Raynor. After being a three-year starter with the Red Wolves, he will now be joining the Big 12 and looking to prove what he can do against better competition.

The Cyclones actually played against Raynor the last two years, and he is a very talented dual-threat quarterback. As an improving passer, he could be poised for his best year yet with some better talent around him compared to at Arkansas State.

Furthermore, the team also has Zane Flores on the roster, who started games for the Oklahoma State Cowboys last year. Flores was put in a tough situation to start for a bad team that fired their coach, but he did gain starting experience in the Big 12. Also, Connor Moberly, who was one of the few players to actually stay with the program.

Overall, even though the quarterback room will look different from what was expected, the Cyclones should feel really good about it heading into the 2026 season.

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