AMES, Iowa – Five Iowa State football players signed NFL free agent contracts after the 2020 NFL Draft ended Saturday evening.

The following Cyclones will enter NFL rookie camps when practice resumes: Steve Wirtel (Detroit Lions), Marcel Spears Jr. (Cincinnati Bengals), Julian Good-Jones (Philadelphia Eagles), Josh Knipfel (Cincinnati Bengals) and Ray Lima (Miami Dolphins).

These five seniors were instrumental in helping the Cyclones leap into the national spotlight during their time in Ames. Iowa State went to three bowl games and appeared in the national rankings in each of the last three seasons. ISU’s 23 victories since 2017 is the second-best three-year winning stretch in school history.

Wirtel, an Orland Park, Ill., native, was a model of consistency in his four years as a Cyclone. He took over long snapping duties as a true freshman in 2016 and graded out annually as one of the best.

He played in all 51 games the last four seasons, taking care of deep snaps on punts in 2016 and 2017. He added snaps for field goals and PATs beginning in 2018. The senior was perfect throughout his career.

Wirtel, who played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and competed at the NFL Combine, was one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly Award, an award given to the nation’s best long snapper.

Spears, a native of Olathe, Kan., was a centerpiece in Iowa State’s resurgence on defense the last three seasons, starting 39-straight games at linebacker.

A three-time All-Big 12 selection, Spears recorded 272 tackles, 24.5 TFL, 13 pass breakups, 6.0 sacks, four interceptions, two pick-sixes and two forced fumbles in his career. The co-captain capped off his senior season by ranking eighth in the Big 12 in tackles with 92.

Spears, who was a co-captain as a senior in 2019, played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl after the season ended.

Good-Jones was a First Team All-Big 12 offensive lineman in 2019 and a three-time All-Big 12 recipient during his four-year career as a Cyclone.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native set a school record for most starts in a career with 49 and was a key player in the Cyclones’ record-setting offense in 2019. The Cyclones broke team records in total offense (444.3), touchdowns (53), passing yards (4,047) and yards per play (6.4) this past season.

Good-Jones played in the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.

Knipfel was a co-captain as a senior and started all 39 games of his Cyclone career on the offensive line. The Hampton, Iowa native was a two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 selection and was a key contributor in the Cyclones’ record-setting offense in 2019.

The heart and soul of ISU’s defensive front the last three seasons, Lima was a three-time All-Big 12 recipient, including earning second-team accolades in 2018 and 2019.

The two-time team captain from Los Angeles, Calif., registered 33 starts, 87 tackles and 10.5 TFL in his outstanding career.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The National Wrestling Media Association announced Friday that the University of Iowa wrestling program set an NCAA record and led the nation in average and total attendance for the 14th straight season.

The Hawkeyes averaged a record 12,568 fans in seven home dates, seeing a total of 87,979 fans enter the gates of Carver-Hawkeye Arena to watch college wrestling. It marks the first time in NCAA history that a program put more than 10,000 fans in the building for every home dual. The previous average dual attendance record was 12,166, set by Iowa in 2015-16, the season that opened with the “Grapple on the Gridiron” at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa has led the nation in attendance in each of head coach Tom Brands’ 14 seasons. This year was the 12th straight the Hawkeyes averaged more than 8,000 fans.

Complete release from NWMA.

The NCAA Division I Wrestling Attendance Top 25 for 2019-20

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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(Radio Iowa) — No Iowa State players were selected in the NFL Draft but several, including offensive lineman Josh Knipfel, signed free agent contracts. The native of Hampton signed with Cincinnati Bengals.

Knipfel says he watched the final day of the Draft on Saturday.

Fellow Cyclone and linebacker Marcel Spears Junior also signed with the Bengals.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa led the nation in NCAA wrestling attendance for the 14th straight year and the state’s two other Division I programs ranked among the top 13 nationally. The National Wrestling Media Association announced the Hawkeyes averaged a record 12,568 fans over seven dates at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This was the first season a program drew more than 10,000 for every home dual. Penn State was second in attendance with an average of 7,604. Iowa State was third at 4,795 and Northern Iowa was 13th at 2,168.

(KCCI) – Hawkeye Quarterback Nate Stanley, Iowa’s decorated starter, was picked by the Vikings in Round 7 of the NFL Draft, 244th overall. The most recent Vikings depth chart had Sean Mannion and Jake Browning backing up starter Kirk Cousins. Earlier in Round 7, the Ravens took Iowa safety Geno Stone with the 219th overall pick

List of Iowa’s draft pick this year:

13th pick (Rd. 1) Tristan Wirfs – Tampa Bay

54th pick (Rd. 2) A.J. Epenesa – Buffalo

77th pick (Rd. 3) – Michael Ojemudia – Denver

219th pick (Rd. 7) Geno Stone – Baltimore

244th pick (Rd. 7) Nate Stanley – Minnesota

No Iowa State or UNI players were drafted this season. Undrafted players will hope to get training camp invites via free agent deals, which are currently being offered.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs return 20 of 22 starters who helped them win the Super Bowl last season, so they spent their six picks in the NFL draft on guys who could help them not only defend the title but also plan for the future. They took LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round, Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. in the second and TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third. They wrapped up the draft Saturday by selecting Louisiana Tech defensive back L’Jarius Sneed, Michigan defensive end Mike Danna and Tulane cornerback Thakarius Keyes.

The Kansas City Chiefs return 20 of 22 starters who helped them win the Super Bowl last season, so they spent their six picks in the NFL draft on guys who could help them not only defend the title but also plan for the future. They took LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round, Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. in the second and TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third. They wrapped up the draft Saturday by selecting Louisiana Tech defensive back L’Jarius Sneed, Michigan defensive end Mike Danna and Tulane cornerback Thakarius Keyes.

w/ Chris Parks

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Denver Broncos general manager John Elway is building around second-year quarterback Drew Lock in the NFL draft. Elway spent his first- and second-round selections on two terrific targets in Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and Penn State speedster KJ Hamler. In the third round, Elway added some protection up front for Lock in LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry. His selection was sandwiched around two other third-rounders in Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas defensive tackle McTelvin Agim. The Broncos have five more picks on Saturday. Ojemudia will help fill the void left by the departure of Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers this offseason, and Agim solidifies a refurbished defensive line that includes trade acquisition Jurrell Casey.

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen. He delivered. The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.

Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era. In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019. Elway didn’t neglect his defense, either, selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round. Elway has five more picks today (Saturday).

Ojemudia said facing the likes of Jeudy, Hamler, Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant in his first training camp will microwave his NFL education. “I mean, that’s going to be big,” Ojemudia said. “It’s going to be harder than the games sometimes.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills addressed their defensive pass-rush and offensive rushing needs with their first two picks in the NFL draft. Buffalo opened by selecting Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa, who led the Big Ten with 10 1/2 sacks as a junior last season, with the 54th pick.

The Bills then followed up by choosing Utah running back Zack Moss at No. 86. Barring trades, Buffalo had five picks remaining over the final four rounds Saturday, with their next coming at No. 128.

(Radio Iowa) — The loss of the track season brings back memories to former track standout Randy Wilson. The Knoxville native was an NCAA champion at Oklahoma and made the 1980 U-S Olympic squad in the 800 meters. He never got a chance to fulfill his Olympic dream because of the United States’ boycott of the Moscow Olympics. These days Wilson is an elementary school teacher and a track coach at Pella High School.

The 1980 Olympic team turned out to be the only one Wilson qualified for.

Wilson’s career ended shortly after 1984.