Randy Peterson
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April 26, 2025
Welcome to the party, NFL. You’re finally catching up to what we’ve known for quite a while – that Matt Campbell’s developmental Iowa State football program not only is very good at turning three stars into super stars, but it’s also good at preparing them for what lies beyond.
Three Cyclones were picked in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft last weekend -- Jayden Higgins, Darien Porter and Jaylin Noel. Higgins and Noel will join former Cyclone Xavier Hutchinson in the Houston Texans’ receiver room. Porter was picked by Las Vegas.
One more, fourth-round selection Jalen Travis, was picked on the final two days, bringing to 15 the number of draft picks during Campbell’s nine seasons at Iowa State. There’s been 12 Cyclones selections in the most recent three drafts.
For a program that had no picks between the 2015-18 drafts, to where its stature in the NFL world ranks now?
The Cyclones tied Colorado, Arizona and Oklahoma State for the most selections among Big 12 schools. Under Campbell, Iowa State has had four picks in a draft twice. Before this, it hadn’t happened since 1977, when there were 12 rounds.
This marks the second time under head coach Matt Campbell that ISU has had four picks. Prior to that it hadn’t happened since the 12-round 1977 draft.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Coach Campbell – the way he runs his program -- the types of people he brings in, the way he develops players,” Texans GM NickCaserio told reporters after the draft’s first three rounds Friday. “The players have been coached, they’ve been trained, and they’ve been developed.”
Iowa State fans have seen that since running back David Montgomery went to the Bears, and Hakeem Butler to Arizona in the third and fourth rounds of the 2019 draft. Fans really saw it when Breece Hall, Enyi Uwazurike, Charlie Kolar and Brock Purdy were picked in the 2022 draft.
“(Recruiting) stars don’t matter; it’s about what you do with your opportunity,” Caserio said.
Ain’t that the truth.
Take Higgins, for example. He was so little-recruited out of high school, that he ended up at Eastern Kentucky. There, he proved to himself that he was better than many gave him credit for. He needed a bigger challenge. Thus, the transfer portal. Thus, Iowa State.
“Best decision of my life,” he said during his junior Cyclones’ season in 2023.
Campbell, his staff, and (of course) quarterback Rocco Becht helped turn this determined under-the-radar guy into the 2025 second round’s second pick.
“Players we pick speak as much to players and programs, as much as anything,” Caserio said in yet another testament for programs that coaches like Campbell run.
“Why did we pick him? He was the best player and the highest-graded player on the board,” Caserio said about Higgins. “What else is there? He basically made himself into an NFL football player. Under recruited. Wanted an opportunity to go somewhere. Wasn’t afraid of a challenge. Went to Iowa State.
“Again, why’d we pick him?”
Hard to imagine, now, that Iowa State had no NFL picks between the 2015 and 2018 drafts. All other Big 12 teams had at least three players picked over that period.
“I talked to Coach Campbell (Friday),” Caserio said. “He was effusive in his belief and praise for both Higgins and Noel. He was spot-on about Hutch – and Hutch has been outstanding for our program.
“What Coach Campbell says carries a lot of weight.”
(Award-winning columnist Randy Peterson can be, and has been, reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close.)