Iowa State Football: 5 breakout freshmen to watch in 2018

The Cyclones’ front seven looks solid, even after the loss of quarterback-turned-linebacker-turned-leading-tackler Joel Lanning. Outside linebackers Willie Harvey and Marcel Spears return, but the depth beyond them is largely unproven. Furthermore, ISU may have as many as four ‘backers on the field at any given time, depending on their scheme.

Enter Michael Rose, who’s a bit of a dark horse in the Clones’ 2018 class. Rose originally committed to Ball State, but flipped to the Cyclones in the middle of the 2017 season. ISU was his only Power Five offer, but he was rated as a mid three-star recruit and the 38th-best prospect from the state of Ohio.

The Ohio native is a strong edge rusher and seems most likely to contribute as an outside linebacker, but his versatility and the Cyclones’ schematic diversity could allow him to see playing time all over the field on the second-string defense as a freshman.