Iowa
NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Iowa State players in upcoming draft
The NFL Draft is one of the next big items on the agenda for the sports world. While no former Iowa State player is expected to hear his name called in the first round, a handful are predicted to be selected over the course of the event.
ESPN’s Matt Miller compiled not only a first round NFL Mock Draft recently, but an entire seven round one. Miller has the Tennessee Titans grabbing Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, someone Cyclone faithful are familiar with.
Ward played the first half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl last year vs. Iowa State. He opted to sit out after halftime as the Cyclones mounted a thrilling comeback victory.
Three former Big 12 standouts are tabbed for selection among the first 32 picks led by Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan is the other from the league, as all three are off the board by pick No. 6.
The NFL Draft takes place April 24-26 from Green Bay, Wisconsin. It will air on NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.
Here is where ESPN has former Iowa State players selected in the mock draft:
No. 47: Jaylin Noel, WR
Noel is picked here with an early second round selection by the Arizona Cardinals. Miller writes “Noel is a slippery route runner with excellent start-stop quickness and sure hands.” He notes that his performance at the Senior Bowl helped position him to be selected here, adding, “he ran a 4.39 in the 40 at the combine and moved even higher up my board.”
No. 59: Darien Porter, CB
Big, strong cornerbacks are always going to be of interest in the NFL Draft, especially with teams from the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens grab one here, as Porter is 6-foot-3 and over 210 pounds. Add in his 4.3 speed and Miller writes, “he’s an immediate special teams asset who could develop into a promising man or zone defender.”
No. 62: Jayden Higgins, WR
Noel’s running mate gets to catch passes from Josh Allen, as the Buffalo Bills grab the 6-3, 215-pounder just before the second round concludes. Miller notes that Higgins is “a true X receiver and has the ability to consistently win on breaking routes underneath.” He would form a solid trio with Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman.
No. 154: Jalen Travis, OT
The New York Giants, who have some newcomers stepping in at quarterback, will be happy to see the team draft Travis, a hulking offensive tackle. Travis checks all the boxes, coming in at 6-7 and almost 350 pounds.
Audi Crook on her mindset for senior year and the 2027 WNBA Draft class
USAT’s Sam Cardona-Norberg catches with with college basketball star Audi Crooks and where her mind is at as she prepares for her last season.
Sports Seriously
The Iowa State women’s basketball roster looks a whole lot different than it did two months ago.
Since the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, nine players have decided to leave Ames and transfer to a new school. That included some of the Cyclones’ biggest stars like Audi Crooks, Addy Brown and Jada Williams.
As of April 23, all nine of the former Cyclones have found new homes. Scroll below to see where each of them will play during the 2026-27 season.
Where did Audi Crooks transfer?
The rising senior All-American has announced her transfer to Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.
Where did Addy Brown transfer to?
Brown, who averaged 11.9 points and 8.8 boards per game, announced Thursday that she will be transferring to national title winners UCLA.
Where did Jada Williams transfer to?
After one season in Ames, Williams announced that she is transferring to LSU.
Where did Kenzie Hare transfer to?
Hare will play for Indiana next season, she announced.
Where did Alisa Williams transfer to?
Williams will join Hare in Bloomington, having signed with the Hoosiers.
Where did Reese Beaty transfer to?
Beaty, a Tennessee native, returns to SEC country after having signed with Mississippi State.
Where did Lilly Taulelei transfer to?
The New Zealand native will play her final season of college basketball at Rice.
Where did Reagan Wilson transfer to?
The rising junior guard will head to the MAC and play for Toledo next season.
Where did Aili Tanke transfer to?
The former Johnston High School star will continue her college career out west, committing to Nevada.
Police are seeking a 17-year-old on attempted murder charges following a shooting early Sunday in a nightlife district near the University of Iowa campus, authorities said Wednesday.
Five people were treated for gunshot wounds, including three University of Iowa students. One woman remained in critical condition Wednesday after sustaining a life-threatening injury to her head, Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said.
Officials said an arrest warrant was issued for the 17-year-old who was allegedly engaged in the fight, adding that reports indicate as many as 40 people may have been involved. Officers had been dispatched to the fight and arrived within 45 seconds, Liston said.
After walking away from the other participants, the suspect allegedly fired six times into the crowded pedestrian area, Liston said. Iowa City’s downtown pedestrian mall is lined with shops, bars and restaurants.
The minor from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will initially be charged as an adult, as is required by Iowa law for forcible felony charges against an individual aged 16 or older, said Rachel Zimmermann Smith, Johnson County attorney.
The charges, which include five counts of attempted murder, will be brought when the suspect is apprehended, she said.
Liston said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected. About three dozen search warrants have already been executed.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to hold those responsible fully accountable,” he said, adding that anyone with information on the incident or the suspect are encouraged to come forward.
The five victims were not “targets of the shooting,” Liston said. “We have no reason to believe they were otherwise affiliated with the fight that preceded the shooting.”
Liston also provided details about the other four victims’ injuries, including one struck in the arm and chest, two struck in one or both legs and one in the side of their stomach. One is still hospitalized in stable condition and three have been released, he said.
CHATHAM, Ill. (KCRG) – The families of four children and a teenager killed after a vehicle crashed into an Illinois after-school camp have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, just short of a year after the tragic accident.
The teenager killed, 18-year-old camp counselor Rylee Britton, of Springfield, planned to attend the University of Iowa and would have been finishing her freshman year.
The April 28 accident at YNOT Camp also claimed the lives of 7-year-olds Kathryn Corley and Alma Buhnerkempe, and 8-year-olds Bradley James Lund and Ainsley Johnson. Lund spent five weeks in the hospital before succumbing to his injuries.
At least six other children were severely injured, and numerous children witnessed the accident.
The crash happened after Marianne Akers, 44, veered off of a county highway, traveled through a cornfield and drove straight through the building. Akers was not charged after an investigation found that she was having a medical episode during the crash, and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The lawsuit, filed Sunday, names YNOT Camp, as well as Akers, responsible for their deaths. They claim the building violated multiple safety codes when it was built and was not suitable to protect its occupants.
Legal representatives are holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the lawsuit.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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