Iowa State football just got hit with a gut punch. Rocco Becht informed the Cyclones coaching staff on Saturday morning that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it officially opens on January 2. The redshirt junior had been Iowa State’s starting quarterback for three straight seasons. Becht’s decision comes just two weeks after his head coach, Matt Campbell, bolted for Penn State. 

He took most of the offensive staff with him and left the program under first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers, who was hired from Washington State in early December. Rogers, a defensive-minded coach, is scrambling to assemble an offensive staff and identify quarterback options for a program. With the transfer portal featuring one of the deepest quarterback classes in recent memory, here are three quarterbacks Iowa State should aggressively pursue to replace Rocco Becht.​

Kenny Minchey

Notre Dame’s Kenny Minchey is a high-upside, developmental prospect who could thrive in Iowa State’s system under Jimmy Rogers. The redshirt sophomore announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal in early December after being CJ Carr’s backup. He completed 20 of 26 passes (79.3%) for 196 yards while also rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown in six appearances during the 2025 season. 

What makes Minchey so intriguing is that he nearly beat out Carr for Notre Dame’s starting job during fall camp. Minchey still has two full years of eligibility remaining, making him a potential multi-year starter in Ames. The Cyclones have historically thrived with mobile, intelligent quarterbacks who can make plays with their legs. And Minchey is exactly that. If Rogers can sell Minchey on the opportunity to start immediately in the Big 12, this could be a match that benefits both parties.​

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Josh Hoover

If Iowa State wants proven production and Big 12 familiarity, TCU’s Josh Hoover is the most obvious target on the board. The Rockwall, Texas, native announced that he intends to enter the transfer portal and will skip TCU’s Alamo Bowl. Hoover projects to enter the portal with the most passing yards (9,629) and touchdown passes (71) of any returning college football player.

Hoover has faced Iowa State twice during his career. So, he knows exactly how that system operates. What makes Hoover such an enticing fit for Iowa State is his experience operating in the Big 12 week after week. This would eliminate the learning curve entirely. If Rogers can pair Hoover with a strong offensive coordinator and surround him with playmakers, the Cyclones could immediately vault back into Big 12 title contention in 2026.​

Drew Mestemaker

Drew Mestemaker is the ultimate dark horse candidate. He has entered the transfer portal and is the leader in passing yards in the nation. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound signal-caller threw for 4,129 yards and 31 touchdowns this season and led the Mean Green to an 11-1 regular season record. What makes Mestemaker’s story so remarkable is that he didn’t even start as a varsity quarterback at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. He played defensive back before walking on at North Texas in 2024. 

For Iowa State, Mestemaker would be a developmental success story on which Iowa State built its reputation. Mestemaker was coached by Eric Morris at North Texas, the same offensive mastermind who tutored Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, Cam Ward at Washington State and Miami (No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick), and John Mateer at Washington State (now at Oklahoma). Morris has a proven track record of finding diamond-in-the-rough quarterbacks and turning them into stars. If Iowa State can get involved early and sell Mestemaker on the opportunity to play in a Power Four conference, they might steal one of the portal’s most intriguing prospects.