Jim Bonifas

Position:
Offensive Line
Height:
6-5
Weight:
320
Class:
Redshirt Senior
Hometown:
Dubuque, Iowa
High School:
Senior

Awards & Honors
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2025)
All-Big 12 Fourth Team - Phil Steele (2025)
NFF Hampshire Honor Society (2025)
Academic All-Big 12 (2024, 2025)
CSC Academic All-District (2023, 2024)
Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2023)
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (F21, S22, F22, S23, F23, S24, F24, S25, F25)
Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Award (2024-25)

2025
Started all 12 games at center ... was a captain in three games ... played more snaps (845) than any other Cyclone ... earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors as he helped the Cyclone rushing attack average 174.7 yards per game and its top two rushers average better than 5.0 yards per carry ... the team rushing average was ISU's best since 2020 ... helped pave the way for Carson Hansen, who went on to earn Second Team All-Big 12 honors after rushing for 952 yards in 11 games ... the Cyclones netted 150 yards in the season's final seven games, the longest streak for the program since the 2008-09 season ... finished his career playing in 37 games while making 25 starts.

2024
Played in 10 games as a reserve offensive lineman.

2023
Started all 13 games for the Cyclones at center ... blocked for an offense that saw players break the school record for passing yards (446), the second-most receiving yards (214) in a single game by an ISU player and the freshman record for rushing yards in a game (276).

2022
Played in two games on offensive line.

2021
Redshirted initial collegiate season.

High School
Chose Iowa State over Louisville among others … a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals … picked as the 71st-best offensive tackle nationally and the 15^th-best player in Iowa by 247Sports … the No. 70 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals … named to Sports Illustrated’s 2020 preseason All-America watch list … three-year starter on the offensive line … two-time all-state and all-district selection … IPSWA Class 4A first-team all-state as a senior and a third-team pick as a junior … Des Moines Register Elite Team member in 2020 … team averaged 5.1 yards per rush and had 23 total touchdowns in senior season … team averaged 6.3 yards per play and combined for 28 touchdowns in 2019 … also tallied 17 tackles, 6.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks on defense as a senior … also lettered in basketball and track & field, earning all-conference honors in hoops … was an all-area selection in hoops by the Dubuque Telegraph Herald as a senior, averaging 12.0 points and 6.6 rebounds while leading his team to the state tournament … coached by Dale Ploessl.

Personal
Finance major.