The Cyclones just added another key piece to their rapidly evolving secondary-Arkansas transfer Jaheim Singletary is heading to Ames. The former five-star recruit out of Jacksonville, Florida, becomes the 43rd transfer to join Iowa State this offseason and the ninth defensive back brought in under new defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit.
That’s not a typo-43 transfers. This is a full-scale rebuild, and Singletary’s arrival is another big swing in the Cyclones’ effort to retool after a turbulent 2025.
At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Singletary brings SEC size and experience to a Big 12 defense that’s in desperate need of both. He’s logged three seasons at the Power Five level, including a redshirt year at Georgia in 2022 and two active campaigns with Arkansas.
Last season, he tallied nine solo tackles for the Razorbacks, and his career total stands at 54.
But it’s not just the numbers that make this a notable pickup-it’s the context. Iowa State’s secondary has been gutted by departures, and Singletary walks into a room that’s been completely reshaped.
He’s now the most experienced cornerback among a group of fellow transfers, including Tyrone Cotton III (Washington State), Seth Johnson (Montana State), Trillion Sorrell (Washington State), and Keyon Washington (Bowling Green). That experience edge matters, especially in a conference known for its pass-heavy offenses and fast-paced tempo.
Bobbit, who followed head coach Jimmy Rogers from South Dakota State to Iowa State, has a tall task ahead. The Cyclones lost 28 defensive players to the transfer portal-over half of their total departures-and that includes several key contributors from a unit that ranked 83rd nationally in pass defense last season, allowing 233.7 yards per game through the air. That’s a number the new staff is clearly looking to fix, and fast.
Singletary’s commitment is a signal that Iowa State isn’t just collecting bodies-they’re targeting talent with high ceilings and Power Five pedigree. For a team in transition, that’s the kind of move that can speed up the rebuild. If Singletary can tap into the potential that once made him one of the top corners in the 2023 recruiting class, he could be a cornerstone of the new-look Cyclones defense.
The Big 12 isn’t going to wait for Iowa State to figure things out. But with Singletary now in the fold, the Cyclones just took a meaningful step in the right direction.