Iowa State is heading into 2026 with a roster that barely resembles the one Cyclones fans watched a year ago. Matt Campbell’s departure after a 10-year run set off a wave of exits, and the rebuild has been so sweeping that Iowa State doesn’t return a single offensive or defensive starter.
That makes this weekend’s opener against SEMO even more revealing. The Cyclones have already put out their depth chart, and one of the first spots worth watching is wide receiver, where the top three jobs now belong to Omari Hayes, Cody Jackson and Evan Boyd.
Hayes looks like the clear headliner. After starting his career at Florida Atlantic, where he flashed early scoring ability and the kind of playmaking that can tilt a game, he moved on to Tulane and showed he could thrive in bigger moments and fit cleanly into a system.
Iowa State appears to be the right landing spot for him, with Hayes set up to be the WR1. He brings value across the board and profiles as the kind of first-read target a quarterback can trust, while also offering the kind of eye-catching catches that tend to make a receiver popular fast.
The next question is how he and Jaylen Raynor connect once the season starts.
Jackson’s path has been a little more winding. He opened at Oklahoma, then moved to Houston, but never found much of a foothold there.
A step down to Tarleton State changed that, and he put together back-to-back strong seasons with the Texans before earning his way back to the FBS with Iowa State. He now looks like the Cyclones’ WR2, bringing experience, versatility and a track record of producing in different roles.
Boyd rounds out the group at WR3. His early stops came at Central Michigan and Michigan State, where he had a useful role with the Chippewas but saw limited action with the Spartans.
One of his brighter moments at Michigan State came against Indiana, when he finished with two catches for 40 yards against the future national champions. At Iowa State, Boyd has a real chance to carve out a bigger role, and earning a starting spot should help his confidence right away.
Still, the job isn’t locked in stone - there are other players who could push for that spot if needed.
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 Roster Faces An Early Test In Raynors Debut
Jaylen Raynor is set to make his first start for Iowa State in the season opener against Southeast Missouri State, giving the Cyclones an immediate look at the transfer quarterback they brought in from Arkansas State. It is an early checkpoint for a rebuilt roster, and the tone around the program has been steady rather than celebratory, with head coach Jimmy Rogers and offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl stressing preparation and discipline as the team gets ready for its first real test.
The matchup carries added intrigue because both sides have gone through major roster turnover and are approaching the game with an emphasis on execution and competitiveness. For Iowa State, the opener is about more than simply beginning a new season. It is a chance to see how quickly the offense can settle in around Raynor and how well the Cyclones handle the first live reps of a group still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]