Iowa State football's biggest recruiting needs for early signing day
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There's still a bowl game ahead for Iowa State football, but after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season, perhaps it's time to keep one eye ahead to next year.
Here are some positional gaps and the Cyclones' biggest needs that they'll look to fill on the Wednesday, Dec. 3, early signing day with their 2026 recruiting class:
Defensive linemen
Perhaps the biggest vacancy to fill, literally and figuratively, will be when 6-foot-4, 325-pound defensive tackle Domonique Orange moves on to the NFL Draft. The Cyclones will also bid farewell to starting defensive end and graduate transfer Tamatoa McDonough.
Overall, the Cyclones could always use more pass rushers and pressure upfront, so the defensive line will be another area to address. Cannon Butler and Myles Mendeszoon are also slated to graduate.
Linebackers
With Caleb Bacon set to return next fall for a sixth year of eligibility stemming from a medical redshirt in 2024, that will relieve some of the Cyclones' pressure to rebuild this unit right away. They will, however, graduate Will McLaughlin and Zach Lovett, who have been seen a good amount of action when healthy over the last few years.
Offensive line
The Cyclones' offensive line will be the hardest-hit unit by graduation after departures of multi-year starters Tyler Miller, James Neal and Jim Bonifas. Dylan Barrett, who also has starting experience after transferring in from Wisconsin and was part of the Cyclones' O-Line rotation this year, will also be graduating.
Miller has 50 career starts over his six-year career, including 39-straight, while Neal and Bonifas worked their way back into full-time starting roles this year after previously doing so in 2023. Special teamer and reserve lineman Tyler Maro will also run out of eligibility.
Punter
It's an easy-to-miss position, but Tyler Perkins has quietly put together, statistically, the best career by an Iowa State punter. His 43.5 average yards per punt over his four years is a program record.
A former Freshman All-American for his boot, Perkins is also a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, which is awarded to the nation's top punter. He also serves as the Cyclones' holder on extra-point and field goal attempts.
Top players in Iowa State football's 2026 recruiting class
(Rankings by 247Sports Composite)
- Jeffrey Roberts – 417th nationally, four-star recruit
- Mason Bandhauer – T-677th nationally, three-star recruit
- Tyrell Chatman – T-677th nationally, three-star recruit
- Tayten Duncan – 851st nationally, three-star recruit
- Daniel Howard – T-857th nationally, three-star recruit
- Amarion Jackson – T-857th nationally, three-star recruit
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's biggest recruiting needs for early signing day
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