The 2017 Iowa State defensive line made waves across college football, as its strong three-man front was able to control the trenches and give the secondary an additional player in coverage.

Ray Lima made perhaps the biggest impact, frequently battling double teams and creating a logjam in the middle of the line. J.D. Waggoner emerged as a senior, fighting to hold the edge and disrupt plays in the backfield. JaQuan Bailey, just a sophomore, racked up seven sacks and cemented himself as a feared pass rusher.

Lost in the success of last year’s defensive line is the potential of this year’s unit.

Two Cyclones who barely saw the field in 2017 figure to make a splash this season — and judging by their size, the splash won’t go unnoticed.

Matt Leo, a 6-foot-7 defensive end, played just three games before injuries forced him to sit out and declare a medical redshirt. His presence could change gameplans pretty quickly if he can stay on the field.

Next to him could be Kamilo Tongamoa. Tongamoa is listed at 6-5, 309. Both Tongamoa and Leo held a host of strong scholarship offers when they left their junior colleges to come to Ames.

After sitting out most of the 2017 season, both of them are ready to finally make an impact on gamedays.

“I wanted to get on the field like anyone else,” Leo said. “I wanted to contribute to the team. It was a blessing in disguise, having that redshirt year just to get healthy again, learn the plays, know exactly what I’m going to do and be ready for this year.”

Keep in mind, Iowa State’s defense last year was second in the Big 12 in opponents’ yards per game. Per CFB Analytics, Iowa State’s defense allowed just 1.65 points per possession last season, which ranked just behind Texas (1.39) and TCU (1.41) among Big 12 teams.

The Cyclones were already hard to score on, and adding Leo and Tongamoa could make it even tougher.

“I learned a lot from last year,” Tongamoa said. “It’s gonna be different.

“My mindset is a lot different. Just trying to get better each and every day, learning the playbook and all that stuff.”

Waggoner graduated from last year’s group, but Bailey returns for his junior year and he sits just eight sacks away from the Cyclone career record of 18.5. Lima is also back for his redshirt junior season and figures to be a mainstay in the middle of the trenches.

For Leo and Tongamoa, that’s a good thing. Instead of starting the season with tons of pressure to step into those roles, they’re afforded the opportunity to join a proven group of linemen and play to their strengths.

Playing alongside Lima and Bailey will allow the rest of the line to operate against a single offensive lineman more often than not, which in turn gives the rest of the line more chances to shine.

“As a group, it’s just speed, strength and knowing the plays,” Leo said.

Leo said the defensive line is very close, like “a brotherhood,” and they all push each other to get better.

“Y’all gotta be in the room to feel our vibe,” Tongamoa said about the defensive line, which he calls the “chain gang.”

Maybe that vibe is the key to anchoring a defense that kept the 2017 Cyclones in just about every game until the very end. Leo and Tongamoa hope that continues into 2018, but they said they know they have their work cut out for them. But that competition within the locker room isn’t a bad thing for the group.

“When we’re all focused, it’s scary,” Tongamoa said. “We’re all focused once practice comes. All games aside, we’re all together.”