Where did former Iowa State football players land in transfer portal?

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With the transfer portal now closed to any more players looking to make moves, and the announcement of Iowa State football's official roster for 2026 spring football, the dust is settling in the aftermath of Matt Campbell's departure.

College coaches may make roster additions and recruit players who remain in the portal, but players are not permitted to enter the transfer portal after it closed on Jan. 16.

After Campbell left for Penn State and Jimmy Rogers took over the program, the Cyclones bid farewell to 55 players who opted to enter the transfer portal and search for new schools.

Iowa State also lost more than a dozen signees from its 2026 recruiting class. These players were released from their letters of intent after the coaching change and chose to reopen their recruitment.

For the curious, here is a look at all the players who left Iowa State and where they ended up.

Iowa State football players who transferred out

These players suited up for Iowa State in 2025, but they will not be returning. Here are the schools they committed to:

  • Cooper Alexander, TE: Penn State
  • Caleb Bacon, LB: Penn State
  • Rocco Becht, QB: Penn State
  • Tre Bell, CB: Michigan State
  • Brendan Black, OG: Nebraska
  • Kai Black, WR: Northern Iowa (FCS)
  • Ben Brahmer, TE: Penn State
  • Cael Brezina, LB: Penn State
  • Karon Brookins, WR: Penn State
  • Carson Brown, WR: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • Trevor Buhr, OG: Penn State
  • Gabe Burkle, TE: Penn State
  • Alijah Carnell, DL: Penn State
  • B.J. Carter, DL: Marshall
  • Markell Chapman, DL: Missouri State (FCS)
  • Drew Clausen, LS: Indiana
  • Jeremiah Cooper, S: Penn State
  • Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman: Kansas
  • Kooper Ebel, LB: Penn State
  • Mason Ellens, S: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • Brett Eskildsen, WR: Penn State
  • Ikenna Ezeogu, DE: Penn State
  • Jace T. Gilbert, K: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • Carson Hansen, RB: Penn State
  • Will Hawthorne, LB: Nebraska
  • Deylin Hassert, OL: Georgia State
  • LaMarcus Hicks II, DB: Arkansas
  • Vaea Ikakoula, OL: Penn State
  • Danny Inglis, LB: Youngstown State (FCS)
  • Daniel Jackson, WR: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • Ta'Shawn James, S: UCLA
  • Derek Jensen, OT: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • John Klosterman, LB: Penn State
  • Kuol Kuol, OT: Penn State
  • Dylan Lee, RB: UCLA
  • Dyllan Malone, WR:
  • Alex Manske, QB: Penn State
  • Mason Miller, LB: North Dakota (FCS)
  • Marcus Neal Jr., S: Penn State
  • Michael Parkes, WR: Undecided/still in portal as of Jan. 19
  • Josh Patterson, S: Wake Forest
  • Jamison Patton, S: Penn State
  • Sione Perkins, OT: Northern Arizona (FCS)
  • Nick Reinicke, LB: Western Illinois (FCS)
  • Zay Robinson, WR: Penn State
  • Abu Sama III, RB: Wisconsin
  • Samuel Samè, LB: South Dakota (FCS)
  • Cam Smith, S: Youngstown State (FCS)
  • Chase Sowell, WR: Penn State
  • Hunter Sowell, CB: Penn State
  • Quentin Taylor Jr., CB: Mississippi State
  • Will Tompkins, OT: Penn State
  • Xavier Townsend, WR: Purdue
  • Carson Van Dinter, S: Wisconsin
  • Jontez Williams, CB: USC
  • Charlie Woleben, DL: Missouri State S&T (Div. II)

Iowa State football 2026 recruiting class decommitments

Penn State's pursuit and eventual hiring of Campbell came days after national early signing day. More than a dozen players were released from their letters of intent in the days and weeks after the coaching change.

However, six of Campbell's scholarship recruits remain committed. Ajibola Afuye, Drake DeBaun, Tayten Duncan, Caleb Francois, Daniel Howard and Jeffrey Roberts.

As for the players who reopened their recruitment, here's where they wound up:

  • Mason Bandhauer, OL: Penn State
  • Ethan Beckman, OL: Undecided/still going through process as of Jan. 19
  • Kash Brock, WR: Wisconsin
  • Tyrell Chatman, S: Penn State
  • Pete Eglitis, OT: Penn State
  • Kase Evans, QB: Penn State
  • Barry Fries, LB: South Dakota State (FCS)
  • Amarion Jackson, WR: Penn State
  • Keian Kaiser, LB: Penn State
  • Jeremy Lewis Jr., DL: Purdue
  • Arley Morrell, TE: Kansas State
  • Elijah Reeder, DE: Undecided/still going through process as of Jan. 19
  • Lucas Tenbrock, P: Penn State
  • Bryson Williams, S: Penn State
  • Owen Winder, OT: Undecided/still going through process as of Jan. 19
  • Josiah Zayas, CB: Penn State

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football players transfer destinations, recruiting flips

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