Peterson: Predicting Iowa State football's depth chart for Saturday's game against Southeast Missouri

AMES — Nice day Saturday, per the National Weather Service. Partly sunny, temp in the 80s. Minimal chance of rain. There's also a 100 percent chance Iowa State’s depth chart for the season-opening game against Southeast Missouri includes the word “or” a time or two.

We’ll see who’s listed where on Tuesday. It’s like Christmas for some information-seekers, and for others, it’s knowing that what they read isn’t necessarily how substitutions will pan out in the 1 p.m. game at Jack Trice Stadium.

The depth chart is usually so full of this player “OR” that player that its value is conversational, and that’s about all.

But in my best endeavor of informing fans to the best extent that I’m able, here we go, and yes, I reserve the right to be dead wrong.

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Offense

QUARTERBACK: This should be a no-brainer, unless everything that coaches and players have said during the spring and summer was a bunch of bologna. The real question is who’s Hunter Dekkers’ No. 2? Is it Rocco Becht or Ashton Cook or Nate Glantz? Most likely, the depth chart will list each of the aforementioned, but if a backup is needed Saturday – let’s go with redshirt freshman Cook over the true freshman Becht. At least for now.

RUNNING BACK: This will be the most interesting. Who’s next in line behind Jirehl Brock? Eli Sanders was made available to the media a couple of weeks ago, so that might be a hint. Deon Silas played last season, too, and we’ve heard considerable good about true freshman Cartevious Norton, as well. “We have a lot of guys,” Brock said last Friday. “At some point, you never know, it could be 1A, 1B and 1C. We have that much versatility in the running back room. This could be one of the most versatile running back rooms that we’ve had at Iowa State.” Gotcha. Let’s go with Sanders to be the 1B clone to take a handoff in 2022.

TIGHT END: This is a little tricky, because Jared Rus will be listed, but in reality, he’s the No. 1 fullback. Using the same “he showed up for player interviews” theory, Easton Dean will be a starter, as will Tyler Moore. DeShawn Hanika backs up Rus, but remember, tight end is a position the coaches will be evaluating throughout the non-conference season.

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OFFENSIVE LINE (left tackle to right tackle): Tyler Miller, Jarrod Hufford, Trevor Downing, Darrell Simmons and Grant Treiber. A month ago, I’d have said Jake Remsburg at right tackle, but that was before an injury that could sideline him until at least Sept. 24 against Baylor. “Honestly, it’s been really week to week,” coach Matt Campbell said last Friday of Remsburg’s status. “I don’t think it’s something that’s going to mean (missing) an extended period of time. It’s something that I’ll know better as we get into each week, where he’s at, and how close he is to playing. We still think we have some solid depth. You’re going to need it. Injuries are going to happen along the way.”  Second-teamers? How about James Neal, Hayden Pauls, no clue who backs up Downing, and Tyler Maro.

RECEIVERS: Xavier Hutchinson, Jaylin Noel and Darren Wilson. Keep an eye on Greg Gaines III, Sean Shaw, Daniel Jackson, and Dimitri Stanley. “Greg's got that 'it' factor about him, as a player that just finds ways to get better,” said receivers coach Nate Scheelhaase, also the running backs coach. “He's a determined kid, a hard-working kid, and a focus kid. He’s way more mature than what you would expect from a guy who is a freshman. It feels he’s been around here a long time.”

Defense

LINE: Will McDonald IV, Isaiah Lee, and Blake Peterson. They’re locks. Probably. After that, let’s go with Joey Petersen, J.R. Singleton and M.J. Anderson. Iowa State didn’t recruit Anderson out of the transfer portal to just ride the bench, after playing 15 games the past two seasons at Minnesota.

LINEBACKERS: Gerry Vaughn, O’Rien Vance and Colby Reeder. That’s the easiest multi-player position group to predict. Their backups aren’t as clear, but my best guess is Cole Pedersen, Myles Mendeszoon and Kendell Jackson.

CORNERBACK:  This position has so many possibilities. Draw their names out of a helmet and you might come up with something like Myles Purchase and T.J. Tampa, or you could get Tayvonn Kyle or Darien Porter, as well. Bottom line: It’s a solid rotation in which all four will be significant parts. “It’s great competition,” defensive coordinator Jon Heacock said last week. “It's been a lot of fun to watch really great kids. We’ve got veterans and young guys. Reality, though, is that none of that group has played a lot of football. I think to this point, they've done a great job of what we're asking them to do.”

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SAFETY: Anthony Johnson Jr.’s transition from cornerback has gone well, or as Johnson said: “It’s gone really smooth. I really like the safety position.” Beau Freyler will start, as well. Malik Verdon will play significantly, too.

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Specialists

FIELD GOALS: Jace Gilbert and Keegan Shackford; KO: Gilbert and Drake Nettles

PUNT: Cameron Shook and Ben Garbarini

RETURNERS: Jaylin Noel and let’s go with Eli Sanders.

So there you go.

For whatever it’s worth.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football depth chart predictions before SEMO season opener