Iowa State Successfully Flips New Mexico Running Back in Class of 2026

The Iowa State Cyclones have added another running back to their Class of 2026, flipping a player from the New Mexico Lobos.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detailed view of a New Mexico Lobos helmet during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Signing Day on Dec. 3 for the Iowa State Cyclones went according to plan, with 22 players officially committing to the school.

However, things were flipped upside down when just days later, it was announced that head coach Matt Campbell was heading to the Penn State Nittany Lions. That led to massive changes, with the Class of 2026 dwindling to six players.

That put pressure on the new head football coach, Jimmy Rogers, to restock the incoming group of high schoolers. He did a wonderful job of that in the weeks following his hiring and continued his work on the February Signing Day.

In a surprising turn of events, the Cyclones were able to get several players to flip commitments and join Rogers in Ames. The latest was running back Gabriel Wilson.

Iowa State secures commitment from Gabriel Wilson

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

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Wilson. He originally committed to Rogers when he was head coach of the Washington State Cougars on June 24, 2025. On Oct. 6, he decommitted from the program and was on the market again.

It didn’t take long for him to find his new home, committing to the New Mexico Lobos on Oct. 19. He officially signed on Dec. 3, but had a change of heart. He decommitted on Feb. 4, Signing Day, and flipped to Iowa State.

Wilson is going to have a lot of familiarity with the coaching staff in Ames. Not only did he commit to Rogers once already, but the running backs coach in Year 1 of his career with the Cyclones is John Johnson, who was with New Mexico.

Ranked as the No. 72 running back in the Class of 2026, Wilson is also the No. 174-ranked player in Texas, coming from Cy Falls High School in Houston.

Signed✍️

Welcome to Ames, @gabrielwilson_2🌪️ pic.twitter.com/Yn9CT9BTVA

— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) February 4, 2026

During his senior season, he carried the ball 147 times for 1,113 yards, averaging an astonishing 7.6 yards per carry with 13 rushing touchdowns. 185 receiving yards and two more scores were recorded as a pass catcher.

He is the second running back commit in the Class of 2026 for Rogers. The other is Caleb Francois, a holdover from when Campbell was head coach, who reaffirmed his commitment to the program after a recent weekend visit to the school to meet with the new coaching staff.

Signing Day was busy for Iowa State. Along with Wilson, they also successfully flipped four-star offensive tackle Benjamin Makelela from Washington State.

The talented offensive lineman is the highest ranked Cyclones recruit in the Class of 2026, one of two Rivals300 players. The other is linebacker Bradley Esser, who came in at No. 300.