Early Cyclone power back who made his mark in the short yardage game
In the 2015 season, Joshua Thomas brought compact, downhill running and goal-line reliability to Iowa State, rushing for 295 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns as a true freshman. His calling card was toughness in tight spaces—he was used as the Cyclones’ short-yardage specialist and turned limited touches into real scoring value. For a team, that means you’re getting a physical back who can finish drives, but his profile is more about role-specific impact than all-purpose explosiveness.
