With the Jimmy Rogers era starting up for the Iowa State Cyclones, he will be hoping to retain some of the talent for the program after the departure of Matt Campbell. 

Since Campbell took the job with the Penn State Nittany Lions, there has been a barrage of recruits leaving the program. That was always to be expected with the coaching change, but the Cyclones’ class went from being one of the best in the history of the program to a bit of a problem. 

Fortunately, Rogers is expected to bring some of his recruits over from Washington State as well, and that recently started with Malcolm Watkins committing to Iowa State. With the transfer portal set to open in a couple of weeks, there is undoubtedly going to be a lot of player movement. 

For Rogers, there will be a couple of key players that he should be focused on trying to retain. Furthermore, keeping some of the younger talent who might be around for multiple years could also help them sustain success. 

Alec Busse of 247Sports recently wrote about some essential players for Jimmy Rogers to try and retain that could help the program long-term. Unsurprisingly, sophomore wide receiver Brett Eskildsen was named. 

Eskildsen Could Be an Impact Player for Multiple Years

In 2025, the wide receiver position for Iowa State saw a lot of changeover following the departure of some talented players to the NFL. The position group wouldn’t be considered a strength of the program last year, but there was some young talent that showed promise. 

One of the top players for the passing offense was the talented sophomore receiver who ended up finishing with a strong campaign. Overall, Eskildsen totaled 30 receptions, 526 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. 

The sophomore led the team in both receiving yards and yards per catch, while finishing third in receptions and second in receiving touchdowns. With it really being his first year playing, it was an outstanding start to his career. 

For Rogers, keeping the talented receiver for the next couple of years would be a big boost for the program. Fortunately, there are a couple of factors that could help with that. Recently, his brother signed as a preferred walk-on, and his family also has some connections to the program. Those factors could be key for Rogers to retain him, and it would be a significant boost for the offense if he were able to do so. 

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