Cyclones Add Four Transfers to Roster
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced today the addition of four transfers to the Cyclone roster for the 2024 season.
The additions include defensive back Matthew Bess (6-0, 170, Tomball, Texas [Memorial/Blinn JC]), wide receiver Eli Green (5-11, 185, Farmington, Minn. [Farmington/North Dakota State]), offensive lineman Jalen Travis (6-9, 315, Minneapolis, Minn. [DeLaSalle/Princeton]) and defensive back Ryan Robinson Jr. (5-11, 180, New Orleans, La. [Edna Karr/LSU]).
Bess played in eight games for Blinn as a reserve defensive back as a freshman, compiling eight tackles for the Buccaneers. He was able to showcase himself during spring practices and picked the Cyclones over an offer from Utah. The Tomball, Texas, native has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Green led North Dakota State with 1,197 all-purpose yards and 877 receiving yards (23rd nationally) last season. He was second on the team with 45 receptions, including three for touchdowns. An all-around threat offensively, Green ranked ninth nationally averaging 19.5 yards per catch and averaged 10.7 yards on 11 rushes.
In NDSU’s four NCAA playoff games in 2023, Green pulled in 17 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He had career bests of five receptions in playoff games against South Dakota and Montana. In the win against the Coyotes, Green caught a career-long 48-yard pass and finished with 116 receiving yards.
The redshirt junior completed two seasons on the field with the Bison with 51 receptions for 969 yards and four touchdown catches. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Travis joins the Cyclones after playing in 25 games as a member of Princeton’s offensive line and twice earning All-Ivy League honors. The Tigers’ offensive unit ranked among the top two in passing offense and scoring offense in 2021 and 2022, winning the Ivy League title during Travis’ first season on the field.
Travis was the male collegiate recipient of the prestigious 2024 Athletes For A Better World Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup, presented annually to six distinguished athletes for any sport – male/female high school, male/female intercollegiate and male/female professional – who best display character, teamwork and citizenship.
His freshman season in 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he has one season of eligibility remaining.
Robinson Jr. joined LSU’s program in 2023 as a preferred walk-on over several other Division I scholarship offers. He played in four games for the Tigers as a true freshman in 2023 before redshirting. The New Orleans product was a key special teams’ performer for LSU and compiled three total tackles in his four games.
He was a three-star defensive back at Edna Karr High School and was the No. 28 player in Louisiana by 247Sports. Robinson Jr. has four seasons of eligibility remaining.
Iowa State Football Transfer Additions
Matthew Bess – Defensive Back - 6-0, 170, Tomball, Texas (Memorial/Blinn JC)
Eli Green – Wide Receiver - 5-11, 185, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington/North Dakota State)
Jalen Travis – Offensive Lineman - 6-9, 315, Minneapolis, Minn. (DeLaSalle/Princeton)
Ryan Robinson Jr. – Defensive Back - 5-11, 180, New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr/LSU)
