Group of Cyclones Sign Deals With NFL Teams; Draft Notes

AMES, Iowa – In addition to four players getting selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, five more have agreed to deals with NFL teams heading forward.

The Cyclones that signed deals following the draft started a total of 150 games in their Iowa State careers.

Jarrod Hufford (Las Vegas Raiders), Stevo Klotz (Los Angeles Chargers), Myles Purchase (Los Angeles Chargers), J.R. Singleton (Seattle Seahawks) and Malik Verdon (Atlanta Falcons) have all agreed to terms.

Jarrod Hufford – OL - Las Vegas Raiders
Two-time Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (OL and Offensive Lineman of the Year) … played in 55 career games, helping team post a 45-32 record while reaching two Big 12 Championship games ... started games in his career at left guard (21), center (14), left tackle (9) and right guard (3) … member of five bowl teams, playing in four of them and winning the 2021 Fiesta Bowl and 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Stevo Klotz – TE – Los Angeles Chargers
Two-time Second-Team All-Big 12 as a fullback … had a big game against Cincinnati, finishing with three receptions for 32 yards and a 26-yard TD catch ... also ran a fake punt for 22 yards and a first down against the Bearcats … finished career playing in 39 games with 19 starts and making 15 receptions for 149 yards (9.9 average) and two touchdowns.

Myles Purchase - DB - Los Angeles Chargers
Finished career playing in 52 games, ranking among the top 10 all-time in school history ... started 34 games in his career ... totaled 146 career tackles, including 11.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage ... had 26 career pass breakups to go along with two takeaways (1 INT, 1 FR) and one forced fumble ... was a part of three bowl teams, winning the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

J.R. Singleton – DL – Seattle Seahawks
Co-captain of the team in 2024 … Honorable Mention All-Big 12 as a senior … finished Cyclone career having played in 49 games with 28 starts ... had 75 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks in his career ... also had 15 quarterback hurries ... forced three fumbles in his career ... played on teams that reached two Big 12 Championship games and four bowl games.

Malik Verdon – DB – Atlanta Falcons
Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2024 … declared for NFL Draft following his redshirt junior season ... was second on the team with 76 tackles, 3.5 for a loss ... had one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles and five pass breakups ... reached double-digit tackles in four games ... ranked among Big 12's top-20 averaging 6.3 tackles per game ... finished his career having played in 27 games, compiling 134 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss ... had three career interceptions, 10 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

2025 Iowa State NFL Draft Picks
Jayden Higgins – Houston Texans – 2nd Round – Pick 34
Darien Porter – Las Vegas Raiders – 3rd Round – Pick 68
Jaylin Noel – Houston Texans – 3rd Round – Pick 79
Jalen Travis – Indianapolis Colts – 4th Round – Pick 127

Cyclone Draft Notes
- Four Cyclones were drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft … it marks the second time under Matt Campbell that four players were selected (2022) … that had not happened since 1977 prior to his arrival, when there were 12 rounds in the draft.
- Iowa State's four picks in the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft were the most in the first four rounds of a draft in program history.
- ISU's three picks in the first three rounds of the draft were the most by any non-Big Ten or SEC school.
- Iowa State tied for the most picks among Big 12 teams with Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma State … the Big 12 had 31 total picks, the fourth-most among conferences.
- Campbell has seen 16 of his Iowa State players drafted in nine seasons.
- Iowa State had an offensive lineman (Jalen Travis) drafted for the first time since 2013 (Carter Bykowski).
- ISU had two wide receivers picked in the same draft for the first time since 1974 (Ike Harris and Willie Jones).
- This was the third-straight draft that Iowa State had a defensive back selected (2023 – Anthony Johnson Jr.; 2024 – T.J. Tampa)
- Jayden Higgins (Pick 34) was the fourth-highest draft pick for Iowa State behind only George Amundson (No. 14, 1973), Will McDonald (No. 15, 2023) and Mike Stensrud (No. 31, 1979).
- Higgins and Jaylin Noel were the second and third wide receivers drafted under Campbell … prior to his arrival a Cyclone wide receiver hadn't been selected since 1985.
- This is the fifth time in program history that two players have been drafted by the same team in the same draft: 1939 Chicago Bears (Ev Kischer, Ed Bock, Charlie Heileman); 1952 Philadelphia Eagles (Malcolm Schmidt, Maury Schnell); 1977 Detroit Lions (Luther Blue, Dave Greenwood); 1977 New York Giants (Al Dixon, Otis Rodgers); 2025 Houston Texans (Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel).
- Darien Porter (3rd Round – Pick 68) was the highest Cyclone defensive back selected since Larry Carwell (3rd Round – Pick 56) in 1967.

Group of Cyclones Sign Deals With NFL Teams; Draft Notes

Players Mentioned

Jayden Higgins

Jarrod Hufford

Stevo Klotz

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Myles Purchase

J.R. Singleton

Jalen Travis

Malik Verdon

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics

Group of Cyclones Sign Deals With NFL Teams; Draft Notes

Players Mentioned

Jayden Higgins

Jarrod Hufford

Stevo Klotz

Jaylin Noel

Darien Porter

Myles Purchase

J.R. Singleton

Jalen Travis

Malik Verdon

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