Iowa State Cyclones Make the Cut for Class of 2027 Four-Star Tight End

A four-star tight end has kept the Iowa State Cyclones in the mix.

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

The recruiting trail has started to heat up for the Iowa State Cyclones recently. The coaching staff is putting in a lot of work on the field while also working hard off of it, looking to sustain their impressive level of success.

Their game last weekend against the Arizona Wildcats was an important one for several reasons. Not only did the victory keep them undefeated at 5-0, moving to 2-0 in the Big 12, but multiple high school recruits were in attendance to watch the 39-14 victory.

One of the players who was in Ames for the matchup is Class of 2027 four-star tight end Cooper Terwilliger. A product of T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre, South Dakota, he recently revealed that he has cut his list of prospective schools down to four.

Iowa State is finalist for recruit Cooper Terwilliger

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

As shared by Hayes Fawcett of Rivals and On3 Sports, Iowa State has made the cut. They are joined by the Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan Wolverines and Nebraska Cornhuskers in a list of heavy-hitters.

NEWS: Four-Star TE Cooper Terwilliger is down to 4 Schools, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’6 230 TE from Pierre, SD is ranked as a Top 10 TE in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals)

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/zvyIUQRiOn pic.twitter.com/ZjmURth3cL

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 1, 2025

According to 247Sports, Terwilliger received 21 offers overall, and another seven schools showed some level of interest in him. All of the attention was coming from Power Conference schools, proving just how talented and highly regarded a recruit the four-star tight end is.

He is the No. 1-ranked player in South Dakota and a top 10 player at his position. 247Sports has him ranked inside the top 200 players in the Class of 2027 at 179 in the ratings and 185 in their composite. Rivals has him even higher, ranking him No. 158 nationally.

Also shared by Rivals is a predictor of where he will land. Based on that, the Cyclones have some work to do if they are going to convince Terwilliger that Ames is the place for him.

Iowa State has work to do to secure Cooper Terwilliger commitment

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cornhuskers are currently the No. 1-ranked team on their predictor with a 43.5% chance of landing him. Second is the Hawkeyes at 19.4%, followed by Iowa State at 11.2%.

Matt Campbell and his staff can make a strong pitch to Terwilliger to come to the Cyclones based on their offensive scheme. Right now, their passing game is funneled through their tight end duo of Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle.

They are leading the team with 16 and 12 receptions, respectively. Brahmer has even gotten involved in the passing game, completing a 45-yard pass for a near touchdown against the Wildcats in Week 5.

A program on the rise, even making the top four, is an accomplishment for Iowa State. Nailing down a second four-star playmaker, after already receiving a commitment from Milan Parris in the Class of 2026, would be a massive achievement for the Cyclones. Especially with Parris receiving so many offers now.