Jimmy Rogers Doing Great Job Selling Washington State Commits on Iowa State

The Iowa State Cyclones are starting to add some talent to their Class of 2026 under Jimmy Rogers.

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 incredibly tough for Iowa State Cyclones fans. They knew when Matt Campbell accepted the head coaching job with the Penn State Nittany Lions that major changes were on the horizon.

Jimmy Rogers was hired away from the Washington State Cougars to replace Campbell after 10 years at the helm of the program. Changes would assuredly come to the roster with players wanting to evaluate things under a new coaching staff.

However, no one could have envisioned the mass exodus that occurred. There are currently 39 players from Iowa State’s roster who are in the transfer portal. Their Class of 2026 had 22 players on Signing Day on Dec. 3 and is now down to seven holdovers.

There aren’t going to be many familiar faces on the field next year for Cyclones fans. But some credit needs to be given to Rogers and his staff for allowing the process to play out and starting to restock the roster with talent.

Iowa State flips second Washington State offensive lineman

An Iowa State Cyclones football helmet is seen during a news conference for the Cheez-It Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Just as the case was with former Iowa State recruits following Campbell to Penn State, the same is now happening for Washington State commits flipping to the Cylcones.

Rogers has been doing a great job of selling Iowa State on players whom he recruited to the Cougars or even the South Dakota State Jackrabbits originally. Where he has started making some ground is along the offensive line.

After securing a flip from Derek Worden, a second former Washington State commit in the trenches has decided to follow Rogers to Ames: Kingston Fotualii. A three-star recruit from O’Dea in Seattle, Washington, he revealed the decision was a difficult one to make, but ultimately wanted to play for Rogers regardless of where it was.

“Coach Rogers had accepted the job at Iowa State and then I was kind of debating between staying at Washington State or following him when given the opportunity,” said Fotualii, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “I decided to follow Coach Rogers. The reason I did that is because when he was at Wazzu, and I still believe in it, Coach Rogers has something special going on and I want to be a part of it.”

Kingston Fatualli is a major addition for Iowa State

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during a timeout in the Cy-Hawk men's basketball game on Dec. 11, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fotualii will be under the tutelage of a new positional coach. The Cyclones hired Jake Thornton after he spent the 2025 season with the Auburn Tigers.

While it isn’t the positional coach whom the O’Dea product originally committed to play for under Rogers, he is excited about the staff that is being put together.

“I’m definitely excited for this staff,” the Seattle native said. “I know they’re a bunch of great coaches, and I’m excited to work with the new offensive line coach. He’s coached in the SEC with some really good o-linemen, so I can’t wait to learn and work with him. I’m definitely excited.”

AG2G🙌🏽@ISURogers3 @RickyCiccone @ptgraphics0 pic.twitter.com/e0e0vkjUIf

— Kingston Fotualii (@KingFotualii) December 27, 2025

Landing Fotualii and Worden are huge additions for Iowa State. Every offensive lineman from their original Class of 2026 decommitted from the program. Bill Eglitis and Mason Bandhauer have both committed to the Nittany Lions already. Owen Winder and Ethan Beckman are still on the market looking for a new program.

The entire starting line from 2025 won’t be returning in 2026 as well. That could mean opportunities to play early and often for Fotualii and Worden with a depth chart barren of much experience.