Jimmy Rogers Landing Four-Star Offensive Lineman Sets a Good Tone

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to get their best recruit of the class to commit right at the buzzer

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during a timeout in the first half in the Iowa State and Iowa men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series at Hilton coliseum on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It has been a busy couple of weeks for the Iowa State Cyclones, and with signing day here for the program, they were able to get a couple of late additions. 

Following a strong 8-4 record in 2025, the Cyclones were heading into bowl season, figuring to play against a strong opponent. However, the decision for Matt Campbell to leave for the Penn State Nittany Lions resulted in the team having to opt out of a potential bowl game and sent shockwaves through the program. 

Quickly following the departure of Campbell, Iowa State was able to add Jimmy Rogers as the new head coach, but he inherited a tough situation. The Cyclones saw nearly all of their starters enter the transfer portal, with a majority of them following their coach to the Nittany Lions. 

This turnover resulted in Rogers having to completely rebuild the team through the portal. While the new head coach was able to rebuild the roster, it took a lot of time in order to do so, and took away from both him and the coaching staff. Like the roster, the 2026 recruiting class also took a hit for Iowa State. However, at the last minute, Rogers and the program were able to land four-star offensive lineman Benjamin Makelela to help improve the class. 

Rogers Gets a Top Recruit 

God blessings 🙏🏾@CycloneFB @cvcseagles pic.twitter.com/2rO6a0QxbP

— Benjamin Makelela (@BMakelela) February 4, 2026

This is a great addition for the Cyclones and a really nice addition for Rogers. Makelela is a four-star player according to Rivals and a Rivals300 player. In the 2026 class, he is ranked 244 overall, 24th at his position, and 22nd in the state of California. 

Landing a four-star player from California is certainly some uncharted waters for Iowa State, and Rogers seemingly doesn’t mind casting a wide net for recruiting. At 6’7”, 280 pounds, Makelela is a massive player at the position, but he will likely continue to put on some size and strength over the next couple of years. 

The talented offensive lineman was committed to Washington State prior to Rogers leaving, and it is a great thing to see him be able to bring in his highest-rated recruit of the 2026 class. 

Being strong in the trenches on both sides of the ball is the goal for the Cyclones, and the addition of Makelela to this class will help with that. While it was to get the four-star talent at the buzzer, Rogers and the coaching staff now will be turning their attention to the 2027 class to keep momentum rolling.