Episode 111 Tyler Claiborne Iowa State Univ. Football Player

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast.

Today’s episode features an outstanding example of what it truly means to be a student-athlete. Joining us from Ames, Iowa is Tyler Claiborne, a wide receiver for the Iowa State Cyclones who represents excellence on and off the field.

Tyler isn’t just competing at the highest level of college football in the Big 12, he’s also setting the standard academically. A multiple-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection and recipient of Iowa State’s Cyclone Football Academic Award, Tyler has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA while double-majoring in finance and accounting and minoring in business analytics. That level of discipline, focus, and preparation is rare and it’s exactly what RU Strong is all about.

In this conversation, we go far beyond X’s and O’s. Tyler opens up about his journey from Kansas to Iowa State, how the COVID years helped him discover his true potential as a football player, and the mindset shift that allowed him to excel at a Power Five program. We dive into the realities of college football today, recruiting, NIL, the transfer portal, roster changes and how he’s navigating it all with maturity, clarity, and purpose.

Most importantly, Tyler shares how football has helped shape him as a person, developing habits of preparation, accountability, resilience, and leadership that will carry him well beyond the game. Whether you’re a current athlete, a parent, a coach, or someone preparing for life after sports, this episode delivers powerful lessons on balance, pressure, and using your platform the right way.

This is a conversation about precision, effort, integrity, and preparation and how those traits translate from the field to the classroom and into a future career.

You’re going to want to listen closely.

This is RU Strong and this is Tyler Claiborne.