Iowa State University Athletics

Awards and Honors
Second Team All-Big 12 – Coaches (2022)
Fourth Team All-Big 12 - Phil Steele (2022)
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List (2022)
Rimington Trophy Watch List (2022)
Outland Trophy Watch List (2022)
First Team All-Big 12 – Coaches (2021)
Second-Team Freshman All-American – The Athletic (2019)
HM All-Big 12 – Coaches (2019)
Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2022)
Academic All-Big 12 Second Team (2019, 2021)
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (F21, S22, F22)

2022
Second-Team All-Big 12 ... moved to center and started all 12 games ... anchored a line that helped team average 369.8 yards per game ... offense averaged 261.8 passing yards per game, the third-best mark in school history ... finished career with 38 career starts.

2021
First Team All-Big 12 … Second Team Academic All-Big 12 … ISU’s leader on the offensive line, starting all 13 games … started first 12 games at right guard and made his first career start at center in the Cheez-It Bowl vs. Clemson … was the lynchpin of the offensive line, helping the Cyclones record their fourth-best scoring average (31.3) and fifth-best total offensive average (424.5) in school history … in league games only, the Cyclones ranked second in scoring (34.8) and first in total offense (452.7) … the offensive line helped the Cyclones rank second nationally in red zone offense (95.9 pct.), converting on 47-of-49 trips to break the school record … paved holes for consensus All-American running back Breece Hall, who broke an FBS record for consecutive games with a rushing TD (24) and ranked second nationally in scoring (138).

2020
Started the season-opener vs. Louisiana, but an injury during the game ended his season.

2019
Second-Team Freshman All-American by The Athletic … Honorable Mention All-Big 12 … Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 … one of Iowa State’s top freshman performers, starting the final 12 games at left guard on the offensive line … member of an offensive unit that helped the Cyclones break school records in total offense (444.3), touchdowns (53), passing yards (4,047) and yards per play (6.4) … the Cyclones offense also averaged 32.2 points, the second-best season total in school history … helped protect All-Big 12 quarterback Brock Purdy, who broke single-season Iowa State records in passing yards (3,982), total offense (4,231) and passing touchdowns (27) … Purdy was sacked just 16 times, as the Cyclones led the Big 12 and ranked 18^th nationally in sacks allowed (1.38) … was also a key part of ISU’s ground game, creating holes for freshman All-American Breece Hall, who was second in the Big 12 (conference games only) in rushing at 95.0 yards per game.

2018
Saw action in two games, but still earned a redshirt.

High School
Chose Iowa State over Iowa, Kansas State, Minnesota and Missouri … three-star recruit by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … rated as the 18th-best offensive guard and No. 431 nationally by 247Sports … ranked as the No. 3 player in Iowa by 247Sports and No. 5 by Rivals … three-time Class 3A INA and Des Moines Register first-team all-state selection … Des Moines Register preseason Iowa Eight pick … four-year starter … team went 8-2 in 2016 and 10-3 in 2014 … helped pave way for a 1,000-yard rusher from 2014-16, including a 2,000-yard rusher in 2015 … coached by Brian Morrison and Ryan McKim.

Personal
Born March 18, 1999 … son of Todd and Lesa Downing … criminal justice major.