Derek Worden brings fresh-man size and upside to Iowa State’s O-line room
In the 2026 season, Derek Worden is a 6-foot-5, 295-pound freshman offensive lineman for Iowa State with clear college-ready size and tackle experience that gives him developmental upside. He arrived as a notable Arizona recruit and was rated by ESPN as a top-20 overall prospect in Arizona, which suggests real athletic baseline and positional value. The appeal here is projection: he’s a long, sturdy lineman who fits the Cyclones’ need for depth and could grow into a reliable power-five blocker if his technique catches up to his frame. No game statistics are available yet, so this is a long-view play rather than a production-driven one.
