Iowa State Football May Be in Grave Danger of Losing Top 2026 Prospect

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to get a commitment from Jett Thomalla, but there may be a new suitor that could flip the star.

Iowa State football head coach Matt Campbell, athletic director Jamie Pollard and voice of Cyclones John Walters speak during Cyclones Tailgate Tour kickoff at Toast on May 19, 2025, in Ankeny, Iowa / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have done a terrific job at turning their program around over the last half a decade, and under the leadership of Matt Campbell that could continue to be the case for the Big 12 side.

However, recruiting is going to be a big piece of the puzzle, and while the Cyclones won't be a side like Georgia or Texas any time soon, keeping talent from the Midwest at home is going to be a crucial part of what they can do to make themselves a College Football Playoff contender.

That's where the recruitment of Jett Thomalla starts and why it is paramount for the Cyclones to keep the four-star quarterback.

Thomalla is the only four-star prospect who has committed to Iowa State in the Class of 2026. He committed on April 18, 2025. The Cyclones do have a plethora of three-star commits as well which include his current high school (Millard South) teammate Amarion Jackson, who is the 4th-best player from the state of Nebraska.

With a top-30 recruiting class, Thomalla plays a huge part in their success, but after he committed to Iowa State, he received an offer from Alabama, and the Crimson Tide are reported in the mix still. He is "still thinking" about his decision despite having committed to Iowa State months ago, and if you're a Cyclones fan, that is not what you want to be hearing.

Iowa State 4-star QB commit Jett Thomalla is “still thinking” following an official visit to Alabama, he tells @SWiltfong_🐘

Read: https://t.co/iWEN3AFuKv pic.twitter.com/VWDZkpYgpO

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 9, 2025

Alabama currently has six committments for the Class of 2026, including Jorden Emonds, the No. 1 cornerback in the class. That said, none of those players are quarterbacks, so they could likely sell Thomalla a nice cup full of reasons why he could be the face of the program down the road.

The Cyclones went 11-3 last season and 7-2 in conference play, ranking as high as No. 9 in the AP Poll. If Campbell is goign to keep enhancing this program, he's going to need top recruits. Keeping Thomalla in the region will be something to keep an eye on.