Iowa State is headed into the 2026 season with expectations sitting pretty low, and that makes the top end of the roster even more important. With all 22 starting spots on offense and defense turning over, year one under new head coach Jimmy Rogers is going to be a major reset. And at the center of it all are the five best players on the Cyclones entering the season.
At the top of that group is Isaac Terrell, who looks like the clearest alpha on the roster. After posting seven sacks in a season under Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, Terrell is the kind of edge presence that can tilt a game on its own. He’s being counted on as the face of the defense and as a leader, and the expectation is simple: he’s going to spend a lot of time in opposing backfields this fall.
Jaylen Raynor comes next, and he’s already familiar to plenty of fans as the transfer portal addition everyone wanted. He steps in as the replacement for three-year starter Rocco Becht, bringing a strong passing profile and real rushing ability with him.
The one blemish mentioned is the turnover issue, but even with that, Raynor has been steady for three straight years and helped lead Arkansas State to solid Group of Five seasons. Now he gets his shot to be one of the early faces of the Rogers era.
Omari Hayes is another name Iowa State fans may not know well yet, but that should change fast. He’s shown plenty during his time with Florida Atlantic and Tulane, and the big thing with Hayes is how much he elevates his play against Power Four opponents.
That matters here. He’s expected to be wide receiver one in what’s described as a stacked room, and there’s a chance he becomes the main engine of the passing game.
Tyler Fortenberry fits the Cyclones almost perfectly. The tight end has checked the boxes for consistency, familiarity, and improvement, and he’s already built chemistry with Raynor.
He kept getting better as the season went on, and he brings production as both a yard-getter and touchdown scorer. With little real competition for the job, Fortenberry is set up to be a major piece of the offense.
Then there’s Kyle Konrardy, who gets the kind of label that sticks: Cyclone legend. He has one of the strongest legs in the country and has already delivered some of the most memorable moments in program history.
Being one of the rare returners on the roster only adds to his standing with the fan base. If he sharpens up the consistency even a little, Iowa State’s special teams could become a real weapon.
In Other News...
Iowa State Fans Have A New Jimmy Rogers Routine To Watch
About 15 former Iowa State football players are expected to open the 2026 NFL season on active rosters after the leagues official roster deadline, another sign of how far the programs recent talent has traveled. Back in Ames, there will be a fresh rhythm to the fall as Iowa State shifts into weekly Tuesday morning media availabilities, giving fans a steady check-in with head coach Jimmy Rogers, offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl and a rotating group of players.
The setup should make for a busy season around the program, with the Cyclones keeping a regular spotlight on the people shaping the year on the field while also making room to celebrate those who have supported it off of it. The Cyclone Club will be honored during the home opening football game, a recognition of members whose backing continues to play a role in Iowa State Athletics as the new routine gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Opener Will Reveal How Set This New-Look Team Really Is
The season opener against Southeast Missouri State at Jack Trice Stadium will offer the first real look at how quickly Iowa State has come together under Jimmy Rogers. He is entering his first year as head coach with a staff that includes coordinators Tyler Roehl, Jesse Bobbit and Rob Grande, and the challenge is less about introducing a new system than seeing how a roster built almost from scratch starts to function when the lights come on.
Iowa State is bringing back about 25 players from last season and adding roughly 80 newcomers, which makes this more than a normal early-September tuneup. Openers can hide a lot, but they also have a way of exposing how settled a team really is, and for this group the biggest question is how much of the offseason work has already turned into something recognizable by the time the Cyclones take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Rebuilt Offense Just Gave Fans A First Real Clue
With a brand-new roster and no returning starters on either side of the ball, Iowa State has spent all offseason asking fans to trust the reset. The first real glimpse of how the offense might look came when the Cyclones released their depth chart before the season opener against SEMO, and the most notable reveal was at receiver, where the new-look passing game finally started to take shape.
Omari Hayes is listed at WR1, with Cody Jackson and Evan Boyd behind him, giving the Cyclones a first indication of who might carry the load in a unit built from scratch. Each brings a different background to the room, and that mix is expected to matter as Iowa State tries to sort out how its rebuilt offense will function once the games count. [Read more 🡒]