You win in the trenches. The commitment that Matt Campbell and staff secured today will help ISU do just that.

Alex Halsted first broke the news that Kamilo Tongamoa, rated a 3-star prospect by 247Sports, chose the Cyclones over Arizona State, Colorado and Purdue. He is out of Merced College in California and is 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds.

Tongamoa will help fortify a defensive line graduating six seniors after this upcoming season. He becomes the 18th commit of the class of 2017 for ISU and the 3rd JUCO overall. Tongamoa is the second-highest ranked prospect in the 2017 class for the Cyclones.

Expect the staff to continue to recruit the defensive line going forward. You can check out highlights of Tongamoa below.

Today’s edition of the WRNL position previews covers one of the most talented positions on the roster -- running backs.

Talent

One of the most exciting and talented players to put on a Cyclone uniform last season was redshirt freshman Mike Warren. The now-sophomore didn’t really emerge until the third game of the season against, interestingly enough, Matt Campbell’s Toledo squad. Over the final 10 games of the 2015 season, Warren rushed for 1,311 yards and found the endzone five times, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

Outside a handful of standouts, Iowa State doesn’t exactly have a rich history with running backs. If Warren were to repeat his 2015 statline, he would already be seventh in school history in rushing yards with two remaining years of eligibility. Warren’s great season didn’t go unnoticed; he was named to this year’s preseason All-Big 12 team alongside WR Allen Lazard. Simply put, Mike Warren had a hell of a freshman campaign a year ago and that was with a... uh... questionable O-line and offensive coordinator(s).

Luckily for Warren, a new staff is in place this year and there are good pieces elsewhere on offense, headlined by Lazard and Joel Lanning. Assuming new offensive coordinator Tom Manning is a halfway-capable playcaller and the offensive line isn’t crippled by injuries, a healthy Mike Warren (with a full season as the starter) should reach 1,300 yards again and could climb above 1,500 if things go well.

Depth

As is nearly always the case at Iowa State, there aren’t any proven commodities behind the starter. Last year’s backup, Joshua Thomas, transferred after the season. In addition to returning players Mitchell Harger and Sheldon Croney Jr., there are two true freshmen who figure to be the most likely candidates to replace Thomas: Kene Nwangwu and David Montgomery.

Nwangwu might not have a Big 12 body yet (6-foot-1, 188 pounds), but he certainly has Big 12 athleticism. He won the Texas class 5A state title in the high jump with a mark of 6’10” and ran the 100 meter dash in 10.71 seconds, a record at his high school.

Montgomery is the thunder to Nwangwu’s lightning. At 5-foot-11, 222-pounds, he can immediately fill the short-yardage void left by Thomas’ departure. Harger and Croney have a chance to get a few carries as well, but neither of them have the size of Montgomery, and a big back is what Iowa State needs to complement Warren. If I had to guess, I would say Montgomery gets the most carries besides Warren simply due to his size and strength.

Stacking Up Against the Big 12

There are some really, really good running backs in the Big 12. Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine has rushed for over 3,000 yards along with 37 touchdowns in his first two years. As if the Sooners weren’t scary enough already, they also have Joe Mixon, who rushed for 753 yards on 6-point-freaking-7 yards per carry in 2015.

Baylor’s Shock Linwood leads the Big 12 in rushing yards since 2013 (along with being a strong candidate for Best Name Award) and he’s back for his senior year. Down in Stillwater, Oklahoma State will likely be led by Barry J. Sanders, whose name should sound familiar to football fans everywhere. Even though he won’t win the Heisman like his dad did back in 1988, Sanders should still have a productive season as the Cowboys’ primary back.

Running back is probably one of the only units in which Iowa State is among the best in the Big 12, and that’s all due to Mike Warren. If Warren has a good year, Lanning should have more chances to throw deep against defenses that creep forward to slow down Warren. A good running game opens up the deep game, and Allen Lazard is exactly the type of receiver you want going for a deep ball.

I’d say Iowa State’s running backs corps ranks in the top three of the Big 12 along with Oklahoma and Baylor. Texas could be in that mix as well, but they lack a go-to RB -- last season, the Longhorns had five players rush for over 400 yards, but not one of them reached 700.

Outlook

Running back is an obvious unit of strength for the Cyclones as the 2016 season approaches. The two big worries for ISU fans in regards to the running game should be 1) Mike Warren’s health, and 2) the offensive line’s ability to stay healthy and give Warren running lanes.

Warren still has room to improve, of course. TRIGGER WARNING: remember the game against Kansas State in Manhattan last year? Iowa State lost four (!!) fumbles that game, including two by Warren. While I wouldn’t necessarily call Warren fumble-prone, ball security is an area where he could improve. Additionally, he only scored five times last season. Some of that was due to Joshua Thomas’ role as the goal-line back, but Warren needs to develop into a guy who can finish the job at the 1-yard line or on 3rd-and-inches.

If Warren plays like he did in 2015, Iowa State’s offense should be in a great spot this year. Running back isn’t a position with a ton of depth, but nobody can deny the talent in the Cyclone backfield.

Last week we touched on who will be the projected starters on the offensive side of the ball. Today, we go over to the defense.

Gone is Wally Burnham and his 3-4 base from last season. While the 3-man front had its positives (more speed on the field), there were still a lot of negatives as well (lack of penetration from the defensive line).

In comes Jon Heacock and his 4-2-5 scheme, which provides for a 4-man front with multiple defensive backs on the field in this pass-happy Big 12 Conference.

Again, attrition has come by the way of not only graduation, but injuries and transfers. The biggest losses came at the linebacker spot, with three contributors and potential starters in Luke Knott, Levi Peters and Jordan Harris all leaving before their eligibility ran out.

Just like last week, we will run through each position with our first impression grades. Like your momma said: don't judge a book by its cover. There will be multiple changes and hopefully some impact players that will step up come September 3^rd to give us a much prettier picture.

Cornerbacks -€” B-Plus

Matt Campbell has made it clear that he will never turn down a defensive back recruit. He made that clear when he signed SEVEN in the 2016 class, and with the amount of passes thrown in this conference, the more cornerbacks, the better.

The first thing you will notice, are the "BC" and "FC" positions. FC stands for field corner and is primarily the better cover corner, as it plays on the strong side. He has more ground to cover and is required to fill those gaps with closing speed. Quite possibly the fastest player on the team, Jomal Wiltz, came into his own last season, and beats out Nigel Tribune for the number one spot. Don't worry fans, Tribune will still be on the field.

The other position marks the "boundary corner," who plays weak-side and will face more 1-on-1 situations down the sidelines. This position belongs to Brian Peavy, who was a bright spot in last year's defense, and also the team's leading returning tackler. Backing him up is transfer D'Andre Payne, who started his career at Tennessee, and has found a home in Ames.

Other names to consider are Jay Jones (converted nickel) and Thadd Daniels (JUCO transfer).

Safeties -€” B

Adding to the depth and talent in the secondary, the safeties are led by 2014 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Kamari Cotton-Moya. Cotton-Moya holds down the free safety spot, and looks to come back from a nagging hamstring injury from a year ago. Backing him up is JUCO transfer Thadd Daniels, by way of Cerritos Community College in California. Daniels was able to practice in the spring, and according to Campbell can play any of the five spots in the defensive backfield.

We would have to think that Duke transfer Evrett Edwards will be the starter at the other safety spot. He played two years in a Power-5 conference, and based on him graduating in 3 years, he will pick up the playbook quickly. Redshirt freshman Mike Johnson made some noise in the spring game and is slated to back up Edwards.

Defensive Tackle -€” C-Plus

The clear leader of this group is 2015 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year Demond Tucker. According to defensive line coach Eli Rasheed, this staff is pushing Tucker much harder this offseason, even demoting him to the second team for a stint. Don't worry folks, it's only a motivational tactic to get this beast to bring it 100% on every snap, and not take any plays off.

Behind Tucker, the cupboard is a bit bare. Bobby Leath came in late last season and has a big enough body to play, but not the consistency to find more snaps. At the other defensive tackle spot we find Pierre Aka, who has been touted for what seems like three straight years, and has yet to follow through. Based on his experience, he is number one on the depth chart, but could easily be beaten out by Robby Garcia and/or Vernell Trent. Garcia was always considered undersized, but has bulked up in recent years. Trent will be a step behind, as he broke his leg in the offseason, and is slated to be full strength by mid-season.

Terry Ayeni hung up his cleats last week, and beyond these 4.5 names above, there is a massive drop off. Lets hope there are no injuries during the season.

Defensive End -€” D

DE	11	Gabe Luna	RS Senior	6'2	243
	55	JD Waggoner	RS Junior	6'3	250
DE (Leo)	8	Jhaustin Thomas	RS Senior	6'6	265
	41	Darius White	RS Senior	6'1	251

We go to the outside, where the majority of Heacock's quarterback pressure will be called upon. Gone is Sack Mamba Dale Pierson, and hopefully taking his place (and QB hurries) is 6-foot-6 Jhaustin Thomas. Thomas showed glimpses last year, but lapsed in the mental department and needs a better pad level if he wants to take that next step. He will be counted upon to take the LEO position, which sets up as a weak-side edge rusher in a two-point stance and is there to disrupt the backfield. Backing him up is experienced, yet undersized Darius White.

On the other side is Gabe Luna, who sat out most of last season with injuries. Luna has the frame and speed, and backing him up is J.D. Waggoner who has the discipline, but lacks the athleticism. Don't sleep on some others that could contribute if their names are called -€” most notably redshirt freshman Seth Nerness and senior Mitchell Meyers, who is coming off his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Linebackers -€” D

LB (Will)	7	Willie Harvey	RS Soph	6'0	222
	25	Brian Mills	RS Junior	5'10	226
LB (Mike)	29	Kane Seeley	RS Senior	6'2	239
	42	Marcel Spears	RS Freshman	6'1	215
	25	Brian Mills	RS Junior	5'10	226
Nickel	9	Reggan Northrup	RS Soph	6'1	191
	44	Bobby McMillen III	RS Freshman	6'1	237
	12	Jay Jones	RS Senior	6'3	209

And we end with the position with the most glaring holes -€” linebacker. Willie Harvey has been ranted and raved upon by this staff as the next best tackler of this group. The sophomore firmly holds the weak-side linebacker spot, and is backed up by capable veteran Brian Mills.

After Jordan Harris's sudden departure, the middle linebacker spot is one for the taking. Kane Seeley scares the crap out of me, with his slow feet and inability to fill the gaps in the run game. I foresee his spot to be filled up by Mills during the season, as this two-linebacker system needs speed.

Some other names to chew on are Marcel Spears and Bobby McMillen. Both are unproven, and have yet to take many snaps.

At the nickel spot, it is Reggan Northrup's job to lose. He has the speed to get in the right place at the right time, and improved immensely during last season. I threw Jay Jones in there as a backup, since he has the perfect size for the position, and also played it last year.

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So there we have it -€” another group of a few talented playmakers, and again, a lack of veteran depth. A lot of unknowns, as well as a bevy of sophomores and underclassmen starting. The loss of multiple linebackers in the offseason greatly hurt the defense, but hopefully this group of misfits can make it work.

Beyond Tucker, the defensive line scares me with their lack of athleticism, and the only pass rush I see comes from Thomas. He is a one-trick pony with an outside speed rush, so let's hope Eli Rasheed and company can add to his repertoire. The secondary is the lone bright spot, but it doesn't matter how good they are if the quarterback has all day to throw.

Campbell and company will have their work cut out for them this offseason.

The Iowa State football team lost what was assumed to be a key piece of their 2016 defense when it was announced that senior linebacker Jordan Harris would become a graduate transfer, deciding to spend his final season closer to home in Mississippi.

Losing a player who started all 12 games the previous season is rarely ever a positive, regardless of the reason. It is, in my humble opinion, a natural reaction for fans to feel angry/disappointed over the lost of any kind of transfer as well. In the case of Jordan Harris, however, I feel that the why plays a big role in his decision to transfer, and might also help to sort out what his loss means for this football team.

Why would a senior linebacker decide to transfer now?

Here's my #analysis:

Harris was lightly recruited as a JUCO player, despite being named a NJCAA Second-Team All-American at Copiah-Lincoln CC and leading the junior college ranks in tackles. He ended up choosing ISU over Memphis, Tulane, and Southern Mississippi.

Once he arrived on campus, fans and coaches alike hoped that Harris would be ready to step in and take over the middle linebacker position. This was not the case, however, as he was redshirted in his first season on campus. The decision to redshirt a JUCO All-American, which is probably not very normal, was made due to Harris's struggles adjusting to D-1 football, as well as difficulties grasping Burhnam's defensive playbook.

During his year off, Harris made strides on the mental aspects of his game, and came into the 2015 season ready to make an impact on the field. And by all accounts, that's exactly what he did.

Harris would finish the season ranking 3rd on the team in tackles (70) and fifth in tackles for loss (5), in addition to starting all 12 games. He also became one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball as well, something desperately needed on last year's defense.

So... Why the transfer? To me, it could come down to a few different reasons (in no particular order).

1. The coaching change. A change in leadership is never a completely smooth transition for a football program. This has been evident with Campbell and Co.'s takeover, as we have already seen many players depart for a plethora of reasons. Jordan Harris was a Rhoads/Burnham recruit, and it's possible that something just didn't click with the new staff.
2. Harris's "role changing". To me, a player's role changing is a coach speak phrase for moving down on the depth chart/seeing less snaps. I feel that this may be the case with Harris. Though he did have a pretty effective junior campaign, it should be noted that it took him an entire year of learning Wally Burhnam's system to reach that level of play. Campbell and defensive coordinator Jon Heacock are set to debut a new 4-2-5 scheme this fall, meaning an entirely new playbook to learn. Using only 2 linebackers on most downs means that Harris's role theoretically may have actually changed as well. In addition, several younger players have been noted as taking big steps forward this spring and summer (more on that later).
3. Take Harris at his word. Though he was a valuable linebacker, and likely would have once again been a leader on the defensive side of the ball, Campbell noted that he had expressed the desire to play his final season closer to home. Coach Campbell was even quoted as saying: "Jordan has done everything we have asked him to do since the first day I got here. He's a great person and a great teammate. In our meetings recently, Jordan expressed interest in finishing out his career closer to his family. I have the utmost respect for Jordan and we will fully support him in his decision." Can you blame a player who wanted to spend his last collegiate season closer to home? I can't...

What does his loss mean for the defense going forward?

This is where examining the depth chart begins to become as enjoyable as watching Big 10 basketball.

Losing an every-down linebacker like Harris is undoubtedly a sizable loss. Even if Harris had seen his role changed or even diminished, losing him still creates a negative impact on a very important position with little depth.

The most notable returning linebacker, with "notable" probably serving as an insult to this talented young man, is sophomore Willie Harvey. Harvey, who finished 4th on the team in tackles (59) as a redshirt freshman and started 8 games in the process, is thought by many to have the potential to become the next great Iowa State linebacker.

Another player who has shown much improvement is Perry, Iowa native Kane Seeley. The senior played in all 12 games last year, starting once. While it has taken him a while to make an impact on the field, Seeley seems poised to take on a more significant role this fall.

Reggan Northrup is another guy fighting for playing time at the linebacker position. Northrup was redshirted in 2014, and ended up being the Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year. He played primarily at the nickel position in 2015, playing in all 12 games and recording 32 tackles (2.5 for loss), one sack, and one forced fumble. With Campbell looking for more speed on the field to combat the air-raid type offenses rampant in the Big 12, expect to see Northrup on the field quite often this fall.

Brian Mills and Josh Jahlas are two other players likely to see time at the linebacker position this fall. Mills is a redshirt junior who played in 9 games and recorded 41 tackles. Jahlas (who we interviewed last week) primarily played on special teams in 2015, but could see time at linebacker.

In summary, while there are still other options at the linebacker position for the Cyclones, it's unquestionably tough to lose a player like Jordan Harris less than 3 months away from the season opener. Moving forward, the focus (and the spotlight) will be on the players mentioned above to step up and fill the void left by Harris's departure.

Will the coaching staff be able to mold the second-unit type players into solid Big 12 linebackers? Let's see what Campbell and Company can do this summer and fall.