AMES – “As the elder statesmen in the room, I just got to make sure they’re [the rest of Cyclones’ defense] ready to go out there and play because they have all the ability in the world,” Iowa State defensive end J.R. Singleton said. 

That quote goes back to before the now-historic season even kicked off, and it tells anyone all they need to know about why Singleton was named a co-defensive captain along with defensive back Beau Freyler in the off-season.

“[Singleton and Freyler] have the ability to hold a really high standard of themselves,” head coach Matt Campbell said. “When you can do that consistently people will buy into you and then you’ll have the ability to hold other people accountable.” 

It’s been a long road for Singleton on his way to becoming a leader on this Iowa State team. 

The Gurnee, Illinois native was a three-star recruit out of Warren Township High School. Singleton held 14 FBS offers, but on July 17, 2019, he chose Iowa State over Cincinnati, Illinois and Louisville and never looked back. 

“It’s a tight-knit community and when you play football in Ames you’re loved,” Singleton said. “Everyone talks about the SEC and things like that, but if you come up to a gameday in Ames I think you’ll be astonished.” 

In his freshman season, Singleton played in just three games before sitting out the rest of the season to secure his redshirt.

Singleton’s redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons saw his production increase year after year.

In his redshirt freshman season, Singleton started in one game, and in his sophomore season, he became a mainstay on the Cyclones’ defense. He played in nine games, started seven and only missed the other three due to an illness.

Prior to the 2023 season kicking off, Singleton was awarded jersey No. 58, worn by one Cyclone annually in remembrance of former assistant coach Curtis Bray. 

“I think that the characteristics are what we look for in that position,” defensive coordinator Jon Heacock said on why Singleton was chosen to wear No. 58. “For us, it’s gathering the information from what everyone tells you about that kind of person, coach and player [Bray] was at Pitt. So, you just try and find the same characteristics.” 

“Being chosen to wear the number 58 is nothing short of a blessing,” Singleton said. “Not only are you representing the known name Bray, but you’re representing the ability he had to impact others. We talk about legacy a lot in this program. I always ask myself, ‘How do you want to be remembered?’ If I can leave an impact on this team, community and my family, I think I struck good. I am grateful for the opportunity and ready for the challenge.”

2023 would end up being Singleton’s best season as a Cyclone. 

As a redshirt junior, Singleton played in all 13 games for the Cyclones and started in eight. He recorded 22 tackles and a career-high 3.5 sacks, which helped the Cyclones reach a bowl game in what was expected to be a down year.

Flash forward to 2024, and in his fifth season with the program, Singleton became the third player to be awarded the No. 58 jersey for a second time and was named a captain for the first time in his career. 

Singleton’s leadership ability is needed this season more than ever, as the Cyclones’ defense has been ravaged by injuries, including those to starting linebackers Caleb Bacon and Will McLaughlin that have kept them out for the entirety of the season. 

Singleton has been a mainstay in the Cyclones’ lineup, though, having now played in 22 consecutive games. Availability is something that Singleton prioritized in the offseason. 

“If you want to be one of the top guys in the Big 12, you gotta be able to play all snaps,” Singleton said.

Despite all of the injuries to the Cyclones’ defense, Singleton and the defense have been able to continue playing at a high level. 

Singleton has already matched his career-high of 22 total tackles that he set last season and is just half a sack away from matching his career-high of 3.5 through just seven games. 

Despite his individual success this season, he gives credit to the defense’s ability to trust each other for the unit’s success. 

“We have faith and belief in each other,” Singleton said. “In 2024 that’s really hard to do, especially for young people. You want things right away, and we’ve been able to put that aside, put our pride aside and play together.”

Iowa State has the No. 1 scoring defense in the Big 12 and the No. 2 total defense in the Big 12, paving the way to the Cyclones‘ second 7-0 start in program history, the first being all the way back in 1938. 

This type of season was not expected from the Cyclones coming into 2024, but Singleton knew his team was capable of reaching these heights.