Hopefully, the Hawkeyes were able to take down South Dakota State without much difficulty, because it is rivalry week in week two! Iowa State is in town for another chapter in a historic rivalry, and it will be a new-looking team for the Cyclones.
Iowa State lost a number of players this offseason including second-round 2022 NFL draft selection in running back Breece Hall. The Cyclones are also looking for the heir apparent to quarterback Brock Purdy, who was taken as “Mr. Irrelevant” as the 2022 NFL draft’s final pick.
Here are a few players from Matt Campbell’s Cyclones that Iowa fans should keep an eye on in the battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy.
Will McDonald, EDGE
Iowa State really lucked out that Will McDonald came back for another season. Many thought the former three-star lineman would declare for the draft after two straight first-team All-Big 12 seasons, but he returned to help his team and refine his game further.
McDonald will be the returning stalwart on a defense that lost a lot of guys and will be counted on to keep consistently getting to the passer. With over 10 sacks in each of his last two seasons, McDonald is amongst the nation’s elite pass rushers and must always be accounted for.
Hunter Dekkers, QB
It is going to be weird to see a quarterback not named Brock Purdy taking snaps for the Cyclones. A four-year starter for the program, Purdy was always steady but still put a bit of a cap on the Cylcones’ ceiling.
Redshirt sophomore Hunter Dekkers is the overwhelming favorite for the job and looks to inject a bit more life into the Cyclones’ passing attack. The former four-star quarterback has received praise all offseason, and enters the year with some pretty lofty expectations. He showed some potential in limited snaps last year, rushing for a touchdown against Kansas and throwing his first against Oklahoma.
As with any new quarterback, we don’t know what to expect….
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