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Mel Kiper Jr. Has Iowa State Cyclones Star Ranked Among Best Players at Position

Originally posted on Iowa State Cyclones on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Iowa State Cyclones have a lot to work on during their bye this week. Riding a two-game losing streak, the team has watched its odds of playing for the Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff virtually disappear.

There are a lot of things that have contributed to the losing streak. One of the main culprits is the performance of the team’s defensive line. More specifically, their inability to consistently create pressure on opposing quarterbacks and contain the run game.

The Cyclones have allowed big games to Brendan Sorsby of the Cincinnati Bearcats and Kaidon Salter of the Colorado Buffaloes. Neither player faced much pressure in the pocket, enabling them to hit big throws down the field and use their legs when the opportunity presented itself.

It will be interesting to see what Matt Campbell and his staff do to adjust the game plan defensively. Maybe a shake-up of the lineup will occur because they need more production from their defensive front.

One player who they will be counting on to make a bigger impact is defensive tackle Domonique Orange. He isn’t in a position to generate much pressure as a pass rusher playing nose tackle, but the team needs more from their one surefire professional talent in the trenches.

Domonique Orange ranked as one of best defensive tackles in 2026 NFL Draft class

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Over at ESPN, NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently released his big board for the top 25 overall prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft and positional rankings. Orange is the only Iowa State player who made the cut.

He is the No. 9-ranked defensive tackle on the list. There is a real chance that he is a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, landing with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 22 in a recently completed mock draft.

His numbers certainly don’t jump off the page. In his career, he has only one sack and one pass defended. He has totaled only 60 tackles in 45 games, with 6.5 of them going for a loss.

However, Orange is an intimidating space eater, being listed at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, who possesses the kind of athleticism coaching staffs at the next level will want to mold and work with.

There is also the potential of developing into a more devastating pass rusher. He has generated eight pressures this season, which is tied for the third most on the team. Seven hurries and one hit have been recorded.

At the very least, NFL teams can rely on him to make a difference as a run defender. If he can start making a consistent impact as a pass rusher, a team is going to be getting a steal in Orange.