The 2026 Iowa State offense is expected to need a little time to come together, and that could put the spotlight squarely on the other side of the ball early in the season. With a new quarterback making his Big 12 debut, a completely rebuilt offensive line and a receiver group still sorting out roles, Jaylen Raynor may be talented, but nobody should be expecting a finished product when the Cyclones open Sept. 5 against Southeast Missouri.
That’s where the defense comes in. Iowa State has put together a group that could keep this team afloat while the offense finds its rhythm, and that might be the most interesting part of the roster right now.
The top name in the mix is Isaac Terrell.
Terrell is the centerpiece of Iowa State’s defensive additions and the most accomplished player Rogers brought over from Washington State. In 2025, he earned Pac-12 Conference Top Defensive Line Performer honors after finishing with 28 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks, six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a safety. PFF also ranked him as the fifth-best returning edge rusher in the Big 12 with an 86.8 grade.
That’s the kind of production that immediately changes how opponents prepare. A player who was already causing problems for Pac-12 quarterbacks is now wearing Cardinal and Gold, and he gives Iowa State a true anchor up front.
Right next to him, Caden Crawford gives the Cyclones another major threat off the edge. The South Dakota transfer put up 78 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in his lone season with the Coyotes, earning Second Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors. PFF graded him as the fourth-best returning edge rusher in the Big 12 at 88.1.
That means Iowa State has two of the top five graded returning edge rushers in the conference, even after losing 50 players. On the same defensive line. That’s a serious problem for anyone lining up across from them.
The other name to watch is Montreze Smith Jr., and his path to Ames has been a little different. He went from Duke to Western Kentucky to Austin Peay before arriving in the Big 12, which is a lot of moving around in a short span.
At Austin Peay last season, the redshirt freshman produced 74 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, three interceptions including a pick six and a forced fumble. He was named FCS Freshman All-American and UAC Freshman of the Year, and PFF gave him a 90.0 grade, making him the second-highest rated returning linebacker in the Big 12.
The jump from the FCS to the Big 12 is no small thing, but Smith Jr. has the kind of instincts and production that can carry over.
If Terrell, Crawford and Smith Jr. stay healthy and stay on the field together, Iowa State has the kind of defense that can hold the line while the offense sorts itself out. As the source material puts it, sometimes the formula is simple: you don’t have to score 40 if you can keep the other team from getting there.
In Other News...
Iowa State Freshman Faces A Setback That Could Change His Season
A recent court ruling that opens the door for players from the 2022 recruiting class to return for a fifth college basketball season has already sent several veteran names back into familiar programs, but Iowa States immediate concern is much closer to home. Freshman Killyan Toure recently underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and the expectation is that he will be back on the floor in January, a setback that interrupts what had been an encouraging first year in Ames.
Toure had already shown enough defensive ability to make people around the program take notice, and he has been viewed as a player with real long-term upside, even drawing attention as a potential 2027 NBA Draft prospect. Now the challenge is less about future projection and more about how much of his season he can salvage after a delayed start, especially for a player whose impact could matter quickly once he is healthy enough to return. [Read more 🡒]
Everest Leydecker Is Giving Iowa State Fans Even More To Anticipate
The U20 World Championships in Bratislava offered another glimpse at why Everest Leydecker has Iowa State fans looking ahead with real anticipation. Wrestling for Team USA, the incoming Cyclone added a gold medal at 55 kilograms to a rsum that already carried one U20 world title, a reminder that her ceiling has kept rising even on the international stage.
Leydecker was part of a busy week for Iowa-affiliated wrestlers, with Karlee Brooks, Bella Williams, Taylor Whiting, Dreshaun Ross, Jimmy Mastny, Piper Fowler, Leister Bowling IV and Fred Bachmann all making their way through the bracket. Ross came away with a silver medal, Mastny battled back through repechage to earn bronze, and the rest of the group had varying results, but Leydecker's run stood out as the kind of achievement that gives Iowa State another reason to believe the future in Ames could arrive sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]