Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State football dives into transfer portal, comes out with three new players

Matt Campbell and Iowa State have been active in the transfer portal ahead of bowl game

Dana Becker

Xavier Townsend committed to Iowa State after entering the transfer portal following two years at UCF.
Xavier Townsend committed to Iowa State after entering the transfer portal following two years at UCF. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Iowa State football team is focused on the Pop-Tarts Bowl but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for looking towards the future.

And the future is through the transfer portal.

While the Cyclones have lost some players off the active roster through he portal, they have also been adding them. In the past 48 hours, Iowa State has received commitments from portal players Xavier Townsend, Cannon Butler and Tre Bell.

Townsend, a wide receiver, was offered by Iowa State coming out of high school but opted to go to UCF instead. He will be a likely candidate to help replace the loss of senior wide receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, who both recorded 1,000-plus yards receiving this year.

Butler, a defensive end, comes to the Cyclones following a productive season at Northern Iowa. He was a captain this past season, recording 59 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Panthers. 

Bell, a defensive back from Lindenwood, brings excellent size at 6-foot-3 and almost 200 pounds. He recorded 24 tackles with six pass breakups and an interception for Lindenwood last year.

More Iowa State & Big 12 Analysis

* Three Cyclones land on Associated Press all-Big 12 team

* Rocco Becht getting pressure to enter the transfer portal

* List of current Iowa State players in the transfer portal

* Where are the Big 12 teams going for bowl season?

* How to watch Iowa State-Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl

* Latest AP Poll Top 25 sees Iowa State drop

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in north-central Iowa.

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