Wide Receiver Transfer Has Earned Starting Spot With Iowa State Football

“Cody Jackson did an unbelievable job,” Roehl said after the spring game, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “I think you see his ability to create separation on some of your deeper play action, even incorporating the run game.”

Jackson is coming off a great season at the FCS level, catching 53 passes for 799 yards and six touchdowns. That kind of explosiveness is exactly what Roehl was mentioning as a way to expand the running game.

If opponents are worried about him taking the top off the defense, it will open things up around the line of scrimmage for the running game to get going. Listed at 6-feet and 175 pounds, he can be a legitimate difference maker for Iowa State.

“He really flourished, I’d say even the last six to seven practices. And his ability to, okay, who are you going to potentially go to in a got to have it situation? He’s a guy that you can start to potentially game plan for. So happy with his growth as well.”

Despite spending the last three years at the FCS level, Jackson knows what it takes to compete at the highest level of college football. He started his career in the Big 12 with the Oklahoma Sooners before playing one season with the Houston Cougars in the American Athletic Conference, and then transferring to Tarleton State.

He had only five receptions as a true freshman with Oklahoma in two games, getting a redshirt. Unfortunately, things didn’t go much better with Houston, but he flourished with the Texans to get back to a Power Conference program.

With one year of eligibility remaining, he looks like he will be a main target for Jaylen Raynor in the passing game for the Cyclones in 2026.