Players from Iowa with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 30% of roster spots in 2016 and 19% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 37 of 122 roster spots were filled by Iowa players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 24 of 126 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 2 to 39.
The median hometown distance moved from 517 mi in 2016 to 309 mi on the 2026 roster. The reliable geography record begins in 1991. Among players with a known home state, 45% were from Iowa, compared with 20% on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 30.3% | 36.5% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 2.8% | 3.7% |
The 2026 roster
- 539 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 122 located players.
- 19.8%In-state19.8% of players with a known home state are from Iowa.
- 12.3%Backyard12.3% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 31.0%Previously rostered elsewhere31.0% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Iowa State ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Iowa State's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 126 | 19.8% | 31.0% | 309 mi |
| 2025 | 121 | 36.4% | 5.8% | 251 mi |
| 2024 | 133 | 38.3% | 5.3% | 210 mi |
| 2023 | 132 | 36.4% | 3.8% | 210 mi |
| 2022 | 128 | 36.7% | 1.6% | 207 mi |
| 2021 | 133 | 36.1% | 2.3% | 274 mi |
| 2020 | 134 | 38.8% | 1.5% | 223 mi |
| 2019 | 130 | 34.6% | 3.1% | 283 mi |
| 2018 | 110 | 32.7% | 1.8% | 426 mi |
| 2017 | 118 | 28.8% | 5.1% | 517 mi |
| 2016 | 122 | 30.3% | 1.6% | 517 mi |
| 2015 | 132 | 33.6% | 0.8% | 498 mi |
| 2014 | 130 | 36.7% | 0.8% | 434 mi |
| 2013 | 134 | 44.3% | 0.7% | 296 mi |
| 2012 | 136 | 45.5% | 0.0% | 218 mi |
| 2011 | 129 | 41.1% | 0.0% | 303 mi |
| 2010 | 116 | 37.1% | 0.0% | 357 mi |
| 2009 | 108 | 38.0% | 0.9% | 309 mi |
| 2008‡ | 32 | 34.8% | 0.0% | — |
| 2007‡ | 26 | 40.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2006‡ | 23 | 50.0% | 0.0% | — |
| 2005‡ | 30 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2004‡ | 30 | — | 0.0% | — |
| 2003archive | 123 | 53.7% | 0.0% proxy | 135 mi |
| 2002archive | 129 | 48.4% | 0.0% proxy | 155 mi |
| 2001archive | 123 | 45.1% | 0.0% proxy | 173 mi |
| 2000archive | 126 | 50.4% | 0.0% proxy | 163 mi |
| 1999archive | 113 | 45.5% | 5.3% proxy | 201 mi |
| 1998archive | 111 | 42.7% | 0.0% proxy | 207 mi |
| 1997archive | 121 | 46.3% | 0.0% proxy | 171 mi |
| 1996archive | 114 | 39.8% | 5.3% proxy | 272 mi |
| 1995archive | 102 | 37.4% | 6.9% proxy | 283 mi |
| 1994archive | 105 | 37.3% | 6.7% proxy | 178 mi |
| 1993archive | 111 | 46.4% | 8.1% proxy | 141 mi |
| 1992archive | 119 | 44.1% | 10.9% proxy | 138 mi |
| 1991archive | 86 | 45.3% | 3.5% proxy | 135 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
‡ fewer than 70 roster rows or under 75% known home state. Treat with caution.
archive = official athletic-site roster. “Proxy” is the share listing a previous school where that field behaved like a transfer field; it is not the same measure as the share previously rostered elsewhere.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 309 mi