Iowa State Cyclones: True Freshmen To Watch in 2020
Every February (and now December) college football teams sign a new class of football players to join their program. It’s exciting to dream about what a prospect can become in the future but come September, some of those freshman will redshirt and wait for their opportunity to shine, while a few will be given the chance to make an immediate impact this season. In this series we will take a team by team look at the true freshman who could be given the opportunity to make a name for themselves in 2020. Today we will look at a few of the true freshmen Iowa State Cyclones to watch in 2020.
Willis Singleton – DT
Iowa State returns a lot of the depth at defensive end but has to replace some good players on the interior of the defensive line. Ray Lima and Jamahi Johnson have both moved on and will leave a big void at nose tackle and defensive tackle. Tucker Robertson was the 2nd string defensive tackle in 2019 and will likely start at defensive tackle in 2020. Josh Bailey and Isaiah Lee were listed as reserve nose guards last season and should continue to battle at nose guard in 2020. This leaves an opening on the two deep for a reserve defensive tackle to get playing time and begin to make a name for himself. Singleton is a talented prospect who could be that defensive tackle in 2020.
Willis Singleton racked up 24 TFL as a senior at Warren Township High School in Illinois. He is a strong well built defensive lineman with a wide frame. He has a good first step and uses his hands well for a young player. His quickness, size and advanced hand usage make him a candidate to contribute on the defensive line for the Cyclones. Singleton could get stronger and heavier and factor at nose guard but is likely to remain a three technique. His versatility is an asset as he can move around some on the defensive front. Singleton has an opportunity to be in the two deep and with his talent we expect he will capitalize on that opportunity.
Aidan Bouman and Hunter Dekkers – QB
Brock Purdy returns as Iowa State’s starting quarterback. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the country ranking #10 on our list of college football’s best QBs. Re-al Mitchell was the primary backup to Purdy in 2019 but he elected to transfer out of the program after the season. This leaves the Cyclones with limited options to fill out their QB depth chart. Blake Clark and Devin Larsen are both walk-ons but are the only non-freshmen quarterbacks on the roster. Aidan Bouman enrolled early and started his career in January of 2020. Hunter Dekkers will arrive this summer and will enter the backup quarterback competition upon his arrival. Bouman has a bit of a head start but both players will be in the mix as reserves to Purdy and could be needed at any time in 2020.
Aidan Bouman threw for over 3,000 yards and 27 TD as a senior at Buffalo Senior High School in Minnesota. He has excellent height at the position and a frame that will continue to add weight. The left handed passer has a good arm and does a good job of scanning the field to find the open receiver. He shows good poise in the pocket, keeping his eyes down field and reading the coverage, even when under pressure. Bouman is not a great runner, but he reads the defense quickly and gets rid of the ball on time, making him difficult to sack. He has the size, poise and ability to play quickly and should be a capable backup in year one for the Cyclones.
Hunter Dekkers had over 3,600 yards passing and 400 yards rushing on his way to 45 combined touchdowns as a senior at West Sioux High School in Iowa. Dekkers is a good sized quarterback with a thick, powerful build that looks more like a tight end’s body than a quarterback. He is a good running threat and has the speed and power to break of big runs. Dekkers, who is also left handed, has a strong arm and can zip the ball into tight windows. He is a confident quarterback who trusts his physical abilities and is able to make plays because of it. Dekkers is a true dual threat quarterback and could win the job as Purdy’s backup as well. Either way, both of these quarterbacks will play some in 2020, even if it is in mop up duty.
Cole Pedersen – LB
The linebacker position will be undergoing some turnover in Ames this year. Starting outside linebacker Marcel Spears Jr is gone, as is second string middle linebacker Bobby McMillen. Spears led the team with 92 tackles in 2019, while McMillen chipped in 22 tackles as well. Jake Hummel will likely slot into Spears position but most of the linebackers after him on the roster have not produced much yet. There are a few young players who will compete to fill out the depth chart and earn playing time in 2020 including Chandler Pulvermacher and Will McDonald but Pedersen should be able to get into the competition as well.
Cole Pedersen was a standout at Central Decatur High School in Iowa. He has a good combination of height, length and athleticism. Pedersen has the length and burst to rush the passer off the edge, but also has the speed to chase plays to the sideline. He has good strength and can filter through traffic and make the play on the ball carrier. He will need to fill out some, but the tools are there for him to become an excellent college linebacker. He could provide depth in 2020 as he adjusts to the competition at the college level. He will be in the competition to get into the two deep at linebacker where he can show off his abilities.
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