Iowa State football officially adds four players from transfer portal

Iowa State reloads at wide receiver, on defense through transfer portal

Chase Sowell will join the Iowa State football program through the transfer portal for 2025. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Iowa State football team officially announced that four players from the transfer portal have joined the program.

Wide receivers Chase Sowell and Xavier Townsend are joined by newcomers Tre Bell and Cannon Butler.

Sowell played for two seasons at East Carolina after redshirting at Colorado. A 6-foot-4 native of Texas, he recorded 81 receptions for 1,300 yards and four touchdowns, averaging almost 20 yards per catch this past season. He had four 100-yard receiving games, picking the Cyclones over Florida, SMU and Arizona State.

Townsend, a 5-11 speedster out of Tampa, Florida, will have two years to play at Iowa State. He saw action in 29 games for Central Florida, recording 66 receptions and four touchdowns while also handling return duties.

Both Sowell and Townsend will be important to replace 1,000-yard receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, who both graduate this year. 

Butler, a native of Waterloo, comes to ISU from Northern Iowa. A 6-6 defensive lineman, he played four seasons for the Panthers, recording 88 tackles with 16 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He will have one season of eligibility left. 

Bell, a defensive back, played in 20 games for Lindenwood. The Missouri native recorded 48 tackles with 12 pass breakups, including an interception against Kansas last year. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after selecting Iowa State over offers from Kansas and West Virginia.

Iowa State takes on Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl from Orlando, Florida later this month.

More Iowa State & Big 12 Analysis

* Key quotes from Matt Campbell's press conference ahead of the Pop-Tarts Bowl

* Miami head coach on what Iowa State is as a program

* Big 12 adds another Heisman winner in Travis Hunter

* Iowa State lands three on AP all-league team

* Cyclones start build towards 2025 with transfer portal additions

* Contract extension for ISU head coach Matt Campbell