Why Cody Jackson Could Be Breakout Star for Iowa State Football

With fall camp ongoing for the Iowa State Cyclones, the team is getting close to the start of the season, and all eyes will be on the new-look group.

Following a wild offseason, the Cyclones are entering a new era with head coach Jimmy Rogers in charge. Matt Campbell was able to really build up this program over the last decade, and the new head coach will have some big shoes to fill.

As expected in the transfer portal era, Iowa State lost a majority of their talent and Rogers is having to build this team from the ground up once again. While he has done a good job early on when it comes to recruiting and filling out the roster in the transfer portal, the team really did get completely gutted, making it a massive challenge.

However, the Big 12 doesn’t seem overly strong this year, and Rogers is a coach who is seemingly going to be able to get the most out of the talent on his team. With the Washington State Cougars, he played some close games against very good competition, and there is reason to believe he can get the most out of this squad.

With a lot of new faces, there will undoubtedly be some breakout players for the team. One of those guys could be wide receiver Cody Jackson.

Why Jackson Could Be Breakout Star

Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Cody Jackson — Iowa State wide receiver Cody Jackson (2) warms up during the university’s football open practice at Johnny Majors practice field on August 8, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After recently being added to a watch list for an award, Jackson is going to be a name to keep an eye on for the Cyclones. The talented wide receiver is coming over as a transfer from Tarleton State, and the numbers were impressive.

In 27 games, he totaled 82 receptions for 1,289 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns. He took a really nice step in his second year with Tarleton State, totaling 53 receptions, 799 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns.

As a player who was originally with the Oklahoma Sooners, there is clearly some talent there, and he will be back at a Power Four school with the Cyclones this year.

For Iowa State, how they look to establish their identity will be interesting to watch. This team figures to be one that will try to play good defense and run the football. However, with Jaylen Raynor as a talented quarterback, the team might throw the ball a bit more than expected.

Overall, Jackson could be one of the top wide receivers for the team, and he very well could be a breakout star for the offense.

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