The Iowa State Cyclones head into the 2026 season with a roster that feels equal parts steady and unsettled. With Matt Campbell gone over the offseason, the group now blends returners, transfer additions, and FCS arrivals in a way that gives the team both a safety net and a few high-upside bets.
That’s where the idea of floor raisers and ceiling raisers comes in. Some players are there to keep the season from going sideways. Others could push Iowa State into something more.
At the top of the list is Raynor, who arrives from the Arkansas State Red Wolves after three years as a starter. He carries a huge responsibility right away. If Raynor doesn’t hold up, Iowa State could be in real trouble, but his leadership and ability should help set a baseline for the team.
Overby fits the floor-raiser label too, even if he isn’t the flashy type. He’s not known for strong hands, but he matters because he’s a returner and a returning piece who helps define the standard inside the program.
Fortenberry is another steady presence. He was a dependable part of Raynor’s career at quarterback at Arkansas State, and that kind of consistency matters here. Iowa State isn’t going to win nine games just because Fortenberry is solid, but the Cyclones need him to avoid a season that goes off the rails.
Schlimgen, a transfer who played in Jesse Bobbit’s defense under Jimmy Rogers with the Washington State Cougars, brings that same kind of stabilizing presence. His job is to be a model of consistency at linebacker.
Willich also belongs in the floor-raiser group. He was solid for the Cyclones last season and is back for another year, with his impact tied to whether Iowa State can start fast. If they stumble out of the gate, that could become a problem.
Pettaway is a little different. Iowa State already has Aiden Flora as a running back and a return man on punts and kicks, so Pettaway isn’t essential. Still, if he turns out to be better than expected, he could help separate a merely average season from a successful one.
Boyd offers a similar kind of upside. He didn’t do much with the Michigan State Spartans last season, though he did post two catches for 40 yards against the future national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers. Iowa State doesn’t need him to be a star, but any production from him would be a welcome bonus.
Jackson is another intriguing name after limited action with the Oklahoma Sooners and Houston Cougars, followed by two dominant FCS seasons at Tarleton State. The Cyclones already have some solid wide receiver options, but if Jackson’s FCS production carries over, he becomes a real addition.
Crawford is in that same bucket of possibility. He played power four football with the Iowa Hawkeyes but didn’t see much of the field, then turned in a good year at the FCS level. Iowa State has depth at EDGE already, but if Crawford earns a starting spot, the ceiling gets higher.
Smith Jr. rounds out the group as one of the bigger unknowns. Like Crawford and Jackson, he played FCS football last year, and that leaves plenty of room for him to shape the roster in a major way. If he doesn’t pan out, though, Iowa State has other linebackers who can step in.
In Other News...
Iowa State Captains Reveal Who Jimmy Rogers Trusts Most
Iowa States first team captains under Jimmy Rogers offer a pretty clear snapshot of how quickly the new staff is trying to build trust. Returning standouts David Coffey and Aiden Flora are joined by a group of transfers in Jaylen Raynor, Jake Taylor, Isaac Terrell and Max Baloun, a mix that says as much about the state of the roster as it does about the coachs priorities.
After the upheaval that followed the previous coachs departure, the captain choices hint at a program leaning on both continuity and fresh voices to steady the transition. The presence of so many new arrivals among the leaders suggests Rogers is not waiting long to empower players who have already earned buy-in, even as the bigger question remains how that leadership will translate once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Is Bringing A Feel Good Return To Hilton Coliseum
Tyrese Haliburton is set for a homecoming of sorts this fall, with the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves scheduled to play a preseason exhibition at Hilton Coliseum on Oct. 7. For Iowa State fans, the matchup brings one of the programs most recognizable recent stars back to the building where he became a national name, and Haliburton made it clear the return means something to him.
Haliburton, an Iowa State alumnus, hinted that he requested the event and sounded eager to get back on the Cyclones home floor. The timing adds another layer, too, with Haliburton working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon and expecting to be ready for the upcoming NBA season. For Hilton Coliseum, it figures to be less a routine preseason stop than a welcome chance to celebrate one of its own. [Read more 🡒]