AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell passed his first test as the Cyclone leader with flying colors.
Campbell and Iowa State announced 36 newcomers to its roster, as the Cyclones introduced their future stars on the gridiron this afternoon on National Signing Day.
“I am really proud of our coaching staff,” Campbell said. “I thought our coaching staff worked diligently and really relied on our philosophy of making sure we got great character kids. That was really important to me in getting a culture-changing class. Not only are they great football players, but they are leaders. They come from great football programs and they know how to win.”
Campbell, who was named head coach at Iowa State on Nov. 29, wasted little time in securing one of the best recruiting classes in Cyclone history. This year’s group cracked the nation’s top-50 by Scout (No. 44), an impressive accomplishment considering Campbell’s talented gang of recruiters had only two months to finalize the class.
Five players in the class were rated as four-star recruits coming out of high school, including freshman offensive lineman Sean Foster, who was a consensus four-star recruit, earning the honor from Rivals, Scout, ESPN and 247Sports.
Campbell also left little doubt of his national approach to recruiting by adding players representing 19 states.
For complete bios on all of the signees, click on the pdf attached or go to: https://cyclones.exposure.co/2016-national-signing-day
Mid-Year Signees
Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Hometown
Tyler Catalina 6-5 303 Sr. OL Worcester, Mass. (Wachusett Regional/Rhode Island)
Two-time All-CAA pick at Rhode Island; named team co-captain and preseason FCS All-American in 2015.
Thadd Daniels 6-1 200 Jr. DB Compton, Calif. (Lynwood/Cerritos CC)
Three-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 5 JC safety and the 87th-best JC recruit nationally by 247Sports.
Clifford Fernandez 6-3 255 Jr. TE Sandy Hook, Miss. (Dexter/Southwest Mississippi CC)
Ranked as the 12th-best JC tight end in the nation according to 247Sports.
Karson Green 6-4 295 Jr. OL Madill, Okla. (Madill/NE Oklahoma A&M)
All-SWJCFC offensive lineman at NE Oklahoma A&M); three-star recruit and No. 13 JC OG in nation by ESPN.
Zeb Noland 6-3 215 Fr. QB Watkinsville, Ga. (Oconee County)
A top-50 QB nationally by both ESPN (No. 38) and Scout (No. 45); 2015 Region 8-3A Player of the Year.
D’Andre Payne 5-10 186 So. DB Washington, D.C. (HD Woodson/Arizona Western CC)
Unanimous four-star recruit (Rivals, Scout, ESPN, 247Sports) out of high school; member of the 2014 ESPN 300.
Signed National Letters Of Intent
Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Hometown
Chase Allen 6-6 225 Fr. TE Nixa, Mo. (Nixa)
Consensus top-25 tight end nationally; the third-best player in Missouri (ESPN); first-team all-state pick by the MFCA.
Arnold Azunna 5-11 185 Fr. DB Grand Prairie, Texas (Lake Ridge)
Second team all-state cornerback; led team to 15-1 mark and state title game; No. 72 CB nationally by Scout.
JaQuan Bailey 6-2 245 Fr. DE Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines)
Consensus three-star recruit; the No. 53 DE by ESPN; first-team all-state selection with 89 tackles and 14 sacks.
Joshua Bailey 6-2 290 Fr. DT Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines)
Three-star recruit by Rivals; the No. 105 defensive tackle nationally by 247Sports.
Keenan Forbes 6-3 310 Fr. OL Miami, Fla. (Everglades)
Second-team all-state selection in Class 8A; ranked as the No. 105 offensive tackle nationally by Scout.
Sean Foster 6-8 285 Fr. OL Mundelein, Ill. (Carmel Catholic)
Consensus four-star recruit; played in the Semper Fidelis All-America Bowl; ranked as the No. 32 OT nationally by Scout.
Jatairis Grant 6-0 180 Fr. DB Akron, Ohio (Garfield)
First team all-state in Ohio; four-year starter and two-time all-district pick; three-star recruit by Scout.
Jamahl Johnson 6-1 310 Fr. DT Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
Ranked as the 73rd-best defensive tackle nationally by Scout; two-time first team all-state selection.
Lonnie Johnson 6-3 200 Jr. DB Gary, Ind. (West Side/Garden City CC)
Ranked No. 91 on Scout’s JC overall national rankings; a four-star recruit out of high school by Scout and ESPN.
Deshaunte Jones 5-10 175 Fr. WR Cincinnati, Ohio (Colerain)
Four-star recruit by Scout; No. 57 receiver nationally by Scout; Ohio’s Division 1 Player of the Year by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Carson Lensing 6-4 235 Fr. ATH Fort Atkinson, Iowa (South Winneshiek)
Captain of the Class 1A all-state team by the INA; two-time all-state selection.
Jalen Martin 6-3 200 Fr. WR Detroit, Mich. (Chandler Park Academy)
Ranked as the 13th-best player in Michigan; first-team all-state pick with 67 catches, 1,147 yards and 16 TDs as a senior.
David Montgomery 5-11 225 Fr. RB Cincinnati, Ohio (Mount Healthy)
Ran for 2,707 yards as a senior, the 21st-best prep total in Ohio history; Division III Ohio Player of the Year.
Josh Mueller 6-6 280 Fr. OL Mequon, Wis. (Homestead)
Three-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports; second-team all-state on the D-2 state title team.
Jerrion Nelson 6-2 260 Fr. DE Columbia, Mo. (Battle)
Ranked as the No. 11 player in Missouri by ESPN; two-time first-team all-state pick; played in Semper Fidelis All-America Bowl.
Kene Nwangwu 6-1 185 Fr. RB Frisco, Texas (Heritage)
A top-100 RB nationally by both 247Sports (No. 59) and ESPN (No. 99); rushed for 1,439 yards as a senior.
Jacob Park 6-4 205 So. QB Charleston, S.C. (Stratford/NE Oklahoma A&M)
A top-200 player nationally and consensus four-star recruit in 2013; South Carolina’s Mr. Football; U.S. Army All-American.
Dylan Soehner 6-7 280 Fr. TE Prairie Grove, Ark. (Prairie Grove)
Named first-team all-state; caught 38 passes for 628 yards and nine TDs on the Class 4A state runner-up team.
Tymar Sutton 5-10 220 Fr. LB McKeesport, Pa. (McKeesport)
Three-star recruit by ESPN, Scout and 247Sports; the No. 87 OLB nationally by Scout.
Oge Udeogu 6-3 330 Jr. OL Imo, Nigeria (Saint Viator [Ill.]/City College of San Francisco)
Ranked as the 79th-best JC player according to Scout; team won the California CC state title in 2015.
Eyioma Uwazurike 6-6 250 Fr. DE Detroit, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup)
Ranked as the 25th-best player in Michigan; listed at No. 72 in the Scout Midwest Top-150.
Romelo Webster 5-10 170 Fr. DB Miramar, Fla. (Hallandale)
Three-star recruit by Scout and ESPN; ranked No. 119 nationally on ESPN’s safety rankings; third-team all-state in 2015
Lawrence White 6-0 170 Fr. DB Bakersfield, Calif. (Ridgeview)
Two-time all-state selection; was a standout at cornerback, safety, wide receiver and quarterback.
Steve Wirtel 6-4 205 Fr. LS Orland Park, Ill. (Mount Carmel)
Ranked as the 6th-best long snapper by Kohl’s Kicking; Perfect on all snaps in career (372/372); three-star recruit by Scout.
Signed Financial Aid Agreement As Preferred Walk-Ons
Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Hometown
John Banta 6-0 210 Fr. PK Ankeny, Iowa (Centennial)
First-team all-state elite team by the Des Moines Register in 2015; made 11-of-12 field goals and a school-record 54-yarder.
Michael Frankl 6-2 210 Fr. QB Ames, Iowa (Ames)
Passed for 2,351 yards and 21 TDs as a junior to earn all-conference honors.
Noah Juergensen 6-5 245 Fr. OL Paton, Iowa (Greene County)
Third-team all-state defensive lineman in Class 3A in 2015; four-year starter and team co-captain.
Colby Lafrenz 6-6 315 Fr. OL Maysville, Iowa (North Scott)
Two-year starter on the offensive line; earned all-district accolades as a senior; invited to the 2016 Shrine Bowl.
Colby Shane 6-2 185 Fr. WR Ames, Iowa (Ames)
Two-time all-state selection; had 64 catches for 865 yards as a senior; father, Mike, was an all-Big Eight linebacker for ISU.
Daric Whipple 5-11 190 Fr. RB Jefferson, Iowa (Greene County)
Earned second-team all-state honors in Class 3A in 2015; passed for 1,508 yards and rushed for 1,101 yards as a senior.
