Iowa State Football: 5 breakout freshmen to watch in 2018

Even with the loss of stud wideout Allen Lazard to the NFL, the Clones have a lot of returning talent at receiver. Junior Hakeem Butler had a tremendous sophomore campaign, and JUCO transfer Matthew Eaton was very productive in his first season in cardinal and gold.

At 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-4, respectively, Butler and Eaton are fantastic sideline and red zone targets. Where ISU could use a little more help is in the slot. Junior Deshaunte Jones figures to step into the starting lineup after recording 809 receiving yards in his first two seasons in Ames, but there’s an opportunity for playing time behind him.

Enter Schleker, a speedy 5-foot-9, 175 pound freshman who could find himself in the rotation quickly during fall practices. The Texas wideout had a handful of Power Five offers to choose from, including Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Lousville, but he signed with the Cyclones early and could be an option for quarterback Kyle Kempt from day one. He could also find a home on the special teams unit as a return specialist.