While many recent graduates have spent their summers concentrating on finding a job, a number of former ISU athletes are participating in professional training camps.

These camps, spread around the country, require incoming players to adapt not only to new teammates, but new practice schedules and new climates.

Former tight end Mike Banks was a seventh-round draft choice of the Arizona Cardinals. He is training in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he reported to camp last Friday, and is getting adjusted to two-a-day practices.

While camp is going well for him, he is also trying to get used to the altitude difference.

“You think you’re in really good shape, and then you go up 7,000 feet,” he said. “The thing that’s getting hard to get used to is the altitude, the air is so much thinner.”

Banks is competing against three other players for a tight end spot with the Cardinals.

He thinks Arizona’s chances have improved due to “a lot of talent on the team,” he said. “The competition is just outstanding. It’s a whole other level.”

Pete Taylor, associate athletic director, said any time someone makes it into the professional ranks, it adds to the legacy of the program.

“This isn’t a breeding ground for professional athletes, but we’ve had a bunch of them,” Taylor said.

Some former Cyclones drafted into the NFL include: James Reed, New York Jets; Reggie Hayward, Denver Broncos; and Sage Rosenfels, Washington Redskins.

Kevin DeRonde signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. He finished his collegiate career as a team co-captain with 188 tackles and 14 stops behind the line of scrimmage.

Ennis Haywood also signed a free agent contract with the Cowboys. He was team co-captain in 2001, had 27 touchdowns and ranks fourth in school history with 3,468 all-purpose yards.

Hayward was a third-round pick of the Broncos in 2001 and had three sacks in his first professional season.

Marcel Howard started the final 23 games of his Cyclone career and was a second-team all-Big 12 offensive lineman as a senior before signing with the Detroit Lions.

Diminuitive ex-Cyclone wide receiver J.J. Moses is currently in camp with the Kansas City chiefs,.

“Moses has a good chance of making the roster,” Taylor said. “He thinks he has a very good opportunity in front of him.”

Taylor said Moses had a good chance last year, but lost it due to injury. Moses is Iowa State’s all-time leader in punt returns.

Taylor said people “associate good players with good programs.”

– Jessica Anderson contributed to this story