Landing Top 25 Recruit Would be Massive Win for Iowa State Cyclones' Jimmy Rogers

Landing a Top 25 recruit would set the tone for Jimmy Rogers and the Iowa State Cyclones

Jimmy Rogers speaks during his introductory press conference as Iowa State’s new head football coach on Dec. 8, 2025, at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the Iowa State Cyclones transition from Matt Campbell to Jimmy Rogers at head coach, they will need to continue to try to build upon the work that their former head coach started with the 2027 recruiting class. 

With the loss of their head coach recently, the Cyclones have understandably started to see some players decommit from the program. This was always to be expected, but the goal for Iowa State should be to continue to limit the damage. 

While some of those players were recent recruits, others were already from the 2027 class. These are players that Rogers must try to get in touch with and continue to recruit to the program. Furthermore, with some of them just starting to have initial conversations with the Cyclones, Rogers needs to be able to build upon those relationships. 

After a strong 2026 recruiting for Campbell prior to leaving, the 2027 class was also starting to shape up nicely. One main reason for that was that they were going after some top national talent. 

Alec Busse of 247Sports recently wrote about 2027 quarterback recruit Israel Abrams as a player that Rogers and the coaching staff need to prioritize. 

Abrams is a Star in the Making

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The talented young quarterback is currently rated as the second-best player in the 2027 class at his position and 22nd overall by 247Sports. Abrams is the type of prospect that could change the outlook for the program for years to come, and it will be important for Rogers to continue the pursuit of him. 

In the early stages of Rogers taking over, the quarterback spot is certainly one to keep an eye on. With Rocco Becht’s future with the program a bit uncertain following Campbell's leaving, he is going to be one of the players that the new head coach has to try to keep. 

Becht has been one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the program and losing him would be a harsh blow to start the new era at Iowa State. However, while keeping their star quarterback in 2026 is essential now, they also have to be looking toward the future. 

Abrams is the type of talent that could go down as one of the best recruits in the history of the program, and that would be a significant win on many levels for Rogers and his staff. It will be interesting to see if the new head coach can continue to keep him interested in the program, and it would be a massive win if he does.