Iowa State has the No. 30 recruiting class in the nation right now, according to 247. Let that sink in for a second. It is still early but Iowa State’s class is sitting among some of the nation’s elite programs.
UCLA sits right behind the Cyclones at No. 31. LSU, Stanford, Baylor, Tennessee and Oklahoma State are a few of the schools sitting close in front of them.
With the momentum this staff has on the trail, it isn’t a surprise that Iowa State’s class got better this week. They picked up their eighth commit in Katy, Texas, three-star inside linebacker Breydon Boyd while he was on a visit for the spring game last Saturday.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound prospect already looks like a Power Five linebacker. On film, he shows a solid ability to pursue the football while avoiding blocks and navigating the line of scrimmage. Once he finds the football, he’s a solid tackler that can lay down the hammer from time to time.
Iowa State is in desperate need for some linebackers. Boyd, who had offers from Boston College, Boise State, Fresno State and a few others, is a good fit.
Not only did the 2017 class get better but the coaches got their jump on 2018. North Pickerington, Ohio, offensive tackle Alex Williams became the Cyclones’ first pledge in the class of 2018 when his coach tweeted his commitment on Thursday.
At 6-foot-5 and 230-pounds, he will obviously have to add weight before he can be an offensive lineman in the Big 12. With that said, you have to keep in mind that this kid is a sophomore in high school.
He shows the ability to get down field on screen passes in his highlight tape while also doing a solid job of sealing off defenders and holding the edge. He has good feet and the raw tools to be a good Big 12 lineman.
It is hard to fathom this kid committing more than 20 months before he signs his letter of intent but this is a good thing for Iowa State.
Kids are committing earlier each year which makes it even more surprising that the Cyclones didn’t get their first commitment for 2016 until June 2015. Williams will likely be a name Cyclone fans know well by the time he signs his papers.
The Cyclones have also solidified themselves as leaders for two big-time safety prospects in the class of 2017. Our Chris Williams wrote about the Cyclones moving up for four-star Kam White and I had an update on three-star Keontae Jones later in the week as well.
Jones, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native, is a guy that I really think could help Iowa State. He’s fast, he hits and attacks the line of scrimmage like a mad-man. The Cyclones will likely have some good competition to get him, including Iowa, but his brother (Deshaunte Jones) being an ISU signee can’t hurt them.
The competition for White will be even tougher. Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss are listed among the offers for the 6-foot-2-inch, 200 pound prospect. He told Chris that Iowa State was his leader after coming to Ames on a visit for last week’s spring game.
Like I said above, it is still really early, there’s almost nine months left until signing day.
It’s sure to be a wild nine months.