Toledo vs Iowa State football: Previewing the Rockets defense

Toledo has a lot of experience on defense, and there’s great talent at defensive end and an NFL prospect at linebacker that Iowa State has to prepare for. This is a pivotal moment for the Cyclone offense this Saturday; if they can’t move the ball on the Rockets, then it’s going to be hard for them to move the ball for the rest of the season.

More from Football

• Iowa State football: DeVondrick Nealy, Tad Ecby leave the program
• National Signing Day 2015: Iowa State picks up stealth RB from California
• Iowa State football: 2015 National Signing Day tracker
• Iowa State football recruiting: Cyclones gain 3-star Kansas OT commitment
• Iowa State football recruiting: Cyclones pick up Florida defensive tackle

Defensive line

• DE: Trent Voss (#43, 6-3, 220 lbs., Jr)
• DT: Orion Jones (#97, 6-2, 285 lbs., Jr)

Iowa State’s offensive line will have to keep an eye on Voss, who leads the Rockets with 6.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 4 quarterback hits. He’s also recorded 41 total tackles (2nd best).

Listed as a starting linebacker in the preseason, Voss made the move to the defensive line and has been fantastic. He’s recorded at least a sack and TFL in each of the last three games.

Jones hasn’t been racking up the tackles like Voss has, but he’s recorded four TFLs and three sacks.

Linebackers

• WILL: Junior Sylvestre (#33, 6-0, 222 lbs., Sr)

Slotted at the Will position, Sylvestre is an all-around beast. He has the most tackles on the team (56 total, 15 more than Voss) and has also recorded 2.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 QB hits, and 4 deflected passes.

Sylvestre is probably the best athlete on the field for the Rockets. He’s currently projected to go in the later rounds of the upcoming NFL draft. He was on the preseason Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. Leading his team with 118 tackles and making the All-MAC team last year, he’s on pace to do the same this year.

Secondary

• CB: Christian Dukes (#5, 5-9, 185 lbs., Jr)
• S: Jordan Haden (#4, 5-11, 210 lbs., Sr)

Both players have combined for three of the team’s four interceptions and are in the top four in total tackles. Dukes and Haden both recorded an interception in the game against Missouri, and Haden added another one against Central Michigan. Similar to Oklahoma State, the best talent is undersized which should help Allen Lazard and E.J. Bibbs gain an advantage.