AMES, Iowa – In addition to four players getting selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, five more have agreed to deals with NFL teams heading forward.

The Cyclones that signed deals following the draft started a total of 150 games in their Iowa State careers.

Jarrod Hufford (Las Vegas Raiders), Stevo Klotz (Los Angeles Chargers), Myles Purchase (Los Angeles Chargers), J.R. Singleton (Seattle Seahawks) and Malik Verdon (Atlanta Falcons) have all agreed to terms.

Jarrod Hufford – OL – Las Vegas Raiders

Two-time Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (OL and Offensive Lineman of the Year) … played in 55 career games, helping team post a 45-32 record while reaching two Big 12 Championship games … started games in his career at left guard (21), center (14), left tackle (9) and right guard (3) … member of five bowl teams, playing in four of them and winning the 2021 Fiesta Bowl and 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Stevo Klotz – TE – Los Angeles Chargers

Two-time Second-Team All-Big 12 as a fullback … had a big game against Cincinnati, finishing with three receptions for 32 yards and a 26-yard TD catch … also ran a fake punt for 22 yards and a first down against the Bearcats … finished career playing in 39 games with 19 starts and making 15 receptions for 149 yards (9.9 average) and two touchdowns.

Myles Purchase – DB – Los Angeles Chargers

Finished career playing in 52 games, ranking among the top 10 all-time in school history … started 34 games in his career … totaled 146 career tackles, including 11.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage … had 26 career pass breakups to go along with two takeaways (1 INT, 1 FR) and one forced fumble … was a part of three bowl teams, winning the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

J.R. Singleton – DL – Seattle Seahawks

Co-captain of the team in 2024 … Honorable Mention All-Big 12 as a senior … finished Cyclone career having played in 49 games with 28 starts … had 75 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks in his career … also had 15 quarterback hurries … forced three fumbles in his career … played on teams that reached two Big 12 Championship games and four bowl games.

Malik Verdon – DB – Atlanta Falcons

Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2024 … declared for NFL Draft following his redshirt junior season … was second on the team with 76 tackles, 3.5 for a loss … had one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles and five pass breakups … reached double-digit tackles in four games … ranked among Big 12’s top-20 averaging 6.3 tackles per game … finished his career having played in 27 games, compiling 134 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss … had three career interceptions, 10 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

2025 Iowa State NFL Draft Picks

Jayden Higgins – Houston Texans – 2nd Round – Pick 34

Darien Porter – Las Vegas Raiders – 3rd Round – Pick 68

Jaylin Noel – Houston Texans – 3rd Round – Pick 79

Jalen Travis – Indianapolis Colts – 4th Round – Pick 127

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The University of Iowa softball team defeated Michigan State on Sunday afternoon at Secchia Stadium, 6-4, in the finale of the three-game series. This is Iowa’s third straight Big Ten series win and fourth of the season.

Junior Jalen Adams (22-5) got the start in the circle and threw her 17th complete game of the season. Adams surrendered four runs on five hits and fanned three. Seven Hawkeyes recorded a hit as junior Tory Bennett recorded the only multi hit game going 2-for-3. Sophomore Jena Young and freshman Talia Tretton each hit a home run for the Hawkeyes.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Iowa’s patience at the plate paid off early as four of the five first hitters of the game reached on a free pass giving the Hawkeyes the early lead, 1-0, as sophomore Soo-Jin Berry drew a bases loaded walk. Tretton came to the plate next and launched a grand slam off the foul pole in left field to extend the Iowa lead to five.

The Hawkeyes added to their lead in the second as Young sent one out of the park in straight away center field. Michigan State got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

Iowa was able to load the bases in the fourth but were unable to bring a run home. The Spartans added three in the bottom half on a two-RBI double and an RBI ground out to cut the lead to two, 6-4.

Adams held strong in the circle the remainder of the game. She retired the Spartans in order in the sixth for the third time. She was able to close out the game in the seventh to secure the series win for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa finished the game with six runs on eight hits. Michigan State scored four runs on five hits.

NOTABLES

• Tretton’s grand slam was the second of the season for the Hawkeyes.
• Adams picked up her 22nd win of the season, the most for a Hawkeye pitcher since 2009 (Brittany Weil, 26).
• This is Iowa’s 12th Big Ten win of the season, the most since 2012 (16) *
• Four Big Ten series wins is the most in a season since 2012 (6) *
• This was Iowa’s third straight Big Ten series win, the longest streak since 2012 (5) *
• Iowa moves to 82-31 all-time against Michigan State.

*excluding the 2021 COVID bubble season

UP NEXT
Iowa (31-17, 12-7) returns to action against Iowa State on Tuesday for game two of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series at Bob Pearl Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30pm CT and will be streamed on B1G+ ($) and broadcast on Hawkeye Radio Network.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team shutout Indiana, 10-0, in seven innings to sweep the series at Duane Banks Field on Sunday afternoon. This is the Hawkeyes’ fourth Big Ten sweep and eighth shutout of the season, which ranks second in the nation.

The Hawkeyes (31-12, 20-4) totaled eight hits and batted .308 overall and .800 with runners in scoring position, collecting seven RBIs with two outs.

Iowa scored three runs in the second inning. After Daniel Rogers doubled, Caleb Wulf brought him home with a single up the middle. Andy Nelson followed with a 413-foot shot over the scoreboard in left field, his third home run this season.

The Hawkeyes added three more in the third when Rogers drew a bases loaded walk, Wulf hit an RBI SAC fly and Jaixen Frost smacked an RBI ground-rule double over the centerfield wall.

The Hawkeyes put up a four-run sixth inning to extend their lead to 10. Nelson hit his second home run of the game, and Gable Mitchell joined the party with a three-run shot to right field.

“I was really happy to see Andy really have a breakout game,” said Heller. “He gets a 3-0 green light and hits a home run, his second of the game. If Andy could get hot here down the stretch, that would be a big boost for us. We’ve all seen Andy on hot streaks, and it’s good when he’s on them, that’s for sure.”

Reece Beuter started on the hill and earned the win to improve to 5-0 on the season. He gave up zero runs on three hits and struck out seven batters.

“Reece was oustanding today,” said Heller. “I thought it was the best he’s been all year, and he’s been pretty darn good the last few weeks. Today what made the difference was he was able to locate the fastball on both sides of the plate. He was really locked in with his command. He had his total package today.”

Ben DeTaeye came in and closed the game in the seventh to send Hawkeye fans home early for the second day in a row. Beuter and DeTaeye held Indiana (23-21, 12-12) to a .130 average at the plate and didn’t allow an extra base hit.

“I think we executed quite good,” said Beuter. “We were getting strikes early with the slider and then making sure we were showing fastball in to not leave anything over the middle of the plate. It’s also very relieving as a pitcher when you know you have run support and you don’t have to keep them to a run or two a game.”

Up Next 

The Hawkeyes will host Illinois State for a midweek contest on Tuesday at 6:02 p.m. (CDT) at Duane Banks Field.

Sidney Cowboy Golf Invitational

1. Clarinda 323

2. Shenandoah 331

3. Sidney 333

4. Auburn 350

5. Bedford 367

6. East Mills 391

7. Fremont-Mills 441

Top 10:

1. Hayden Thompson (74) – Sidney

2. Ethan Laughlin (78) – Shenandoah

3. JJ Martin (79) – Shenandoah

4. Carson Turner (79) – Clarinda

5. Kort Neal (81) – Clarinda

6. Jac Fine (81) – Clarinda

7. Karsten Beckel (82) – Clarinda

8. Hudson Emshoff (83) – Auburn

9. Jack Kline (83) – Clarinda

10. Micah Johnson (83) – Bedford

Atlantic Tournament

1. Shenandoah – 31 points

2. Atlantic – 23 points

4. Glenwood – 19 points

5. Red Oak

6. Creston

7. Kuemper Catholic

No. 1 singles runner-up: Lucas Sun – Shenandoah

No. 1 doubles champion: Luke Daoust & Ryan Lawrence, Shenandoah

No. 2 singles champion: Teagan Brunk – Shenandoah

No. 2 doubles champion: Drew Morelock & Levi Rystrom – Shenandoah

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz feels the passing game made progress this spring. Long considered the weakest position group on the team Ferentz says the receivers have made big strides.

Ferentz says redshirt freshman receiver KJ Parker had an impressive spring.

The Hawkeyes closed out spring drills with an ope practice on Saturday.

Ten records were set during the final day of competition at the Drake Relays. Olympic Gold Medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s long jump with a new record of 22 feet, one of three quarters inch. It was her first appearance at Drake.

Davis-Woodhall was hoping for a better mark.

Krissy Gear smashed the 50-year-old record in the women’s mile by passing Sioux City native Shelby Houlihan on the final stretch to lead a field that included seven Olympians. Gear also won the U-S 1 Mile Road Championship last week.

Gear says the week was a huge confidence boost for her.

Houlihan finished second and says she enjoyed her return to a track she experienced so much success as a prep at Sioux City East as well as the U-S Championships in 2019. She is in the early stages of her return to competition after a four-year suspension.

After finishing second in the road mile former Dowling Catholic star Karissa Schweizer finished third in the mile.

Vincent Ciattei fought off disappointment to become a double winner at the Drake Relays. Ciattei took control on the final lap to win the men’s 1500 meter run. Earlier last week he won the U-S 1 Mile Road Championship on the streets of Des Moines and thought he made the U-S team was supposed to compete in the World Road Championships in San Diego only to find out on Friday they have been cancelled.

It would have been his first appearance on a U-S team. Instead he will turn his to try and make the U-S squad that will compete at the World Track and Field Championships in September.

GIRLS

West Des Moines Valley – 2 vs Lewis Central – 0

Lincoln Pius X – 2 vs Lewis Central – 0

Spencer – 4 vs St. Albert – 0

BOYS

Western Christian – 5 vs Harlan – 0

Abraham Lincoln – 6 vs Treynor – 0

Bishop Heelan Catholic – 2 vs St. Albert – 0

South Sioux City – 2 vs Lewis Central – 1

St. Albert – 4 vs Sioux City East – 1