AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell has made incredible strides in recruiting since taking over the program three years ago.
His Cyclone classes have ranked among the best in school history, and his 2019 recruiting haul is one of the best in the history of the program, as Campbell finalized his 2019 signees today.
“When you look at this class, it’s a class that really fits the mold of the culture of our program,” Campbell said. “We got great leadership, young men with great character and families, and I think guys that really have been committed to us for an extended period of time. What I really appreciate about this group is that even before the season began they saw the vision of where this program was going and where it has the ability to go. All of these guys have big-time impact ability. We were able to touch on every position group. As you see us continue to build the program, it’s touching all those areas where you continue to allow great competition as well as building great depth within your program. This group certainly does that for us.”
ISU’s 2019 recruiting class is ranked 38th nationally with a composite rating of .857 by 247Sports, the highest total in school history. Rivals has this year’s Cyclone class at No. 46 in the nation.
Campbell announced one addition to the class today in DB Isheem Young (Philadelphia, Pa.). Young is a four-star recruit, a top-400 player and the No. 30 safety nationally by 247Sports’ composite rankings.
“We are excited to welcome Isheem into our football program,” Campbell said. “He is a highly motivated young man who has expressed tremendous gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the Iowa State football program.”
Including Young, there are four players in this year’s class listed as four-star recruits by 247Sports in RB Jirehl Brock (Quincy, Ill.), RB Breece Hall (Wichita, Kan.) and DE Blake Peterson (Beresford, S.D.). Brock rushed for over 2,000 yards and was named Illinois’ Gatorade Player of the Year and Hall also eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier and played in the 2019 All-American Bowl.
Both Brock and Hall are top-11 running backs nationally according to the 247Sports composite ratings.
Peterson is the top player out of South Dakota and the No. 310 player nationally according to 247Sports.
Campbell signed three Iowans in WR Darien Porter (Bettendorf), OL Jake Remsburg (West Des Moines) and LB Coal Flansburg (Solon).
Porter is rated as the sixth-best player in Iowa and the No. 63 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports and Remsburg is a two-time Des Moines Register Elite Team All-State pick.
“You look at the programs they come from, and all three guys come from high school programs where their football coaches are great leaders and developers,” Campbell said about the Iowa signees. “These are guys that know how to win and what it takes to be successful. All three of them lived that during their high school careers. I think it was really huge for us to keep young men from this state that really understand the values of this fanbase and what we are building here. It is great for us to get three of the best in the state of Iowa to stay home.”
Signed National Letters of Intent
Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Hometown
Ezeriah Anderson 6-5 210 Fr. WR Seffner, Fla. (Armwood)
Chose Iowa State over Missouri, Oregon and Boston College; rated as the No. 106 WR nationally by 247Sports.
Jirehl Brock 5-11 205 Fr. RB Quincy, Ill. (Quincy)
Four-star recruit who is ranked in the top-250 nationally; 2018 Illinois Gatorade PoY; rushed for 2,158 yards and 33 TDs in ‘18.
*Easton Dean 6-6 220 Fr. QB Oswego, Kan. (Labette County)
Threw for over 2,000 yards in each of the last two years; top-10 player in Kansas; No. 15 dual QB by 247Sports.
Virdel Edwards II 6-1 190 Fr. DB Plano, Texas (Prestonwood Christian)
Three-year starter who tallied 33 tackles and six passes defended as a senior; a top-115 safety nationally by 247Sports.
Coal Flansburg 6-1 230 Fr. LB Solon, Iowa (Solon)
Class 3A all-state selection; had 47 tackles & 3.0 TFL as a senior; rated as the 8th-best player in Iowa by Rivals.
Leonard Glass 5-9 175 Fr. ATH Fresno, Calif. (San Joaquin)
Rated as the No. 90 athlete nationally by 247Sports; recorded over 3,000 yards from scrimmage and 43 TDs in last two seasons.
*Breece Hall 6-1 215 Fr. RB Wichita, Kan. (Northwest)
Four-star recruit and the No. 135 player nationally by 247Sports; two-time 2,000-yard rusher; invited to All-American Bowl.
Aric Horne 6-1 210 Fr. LB Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines)
Rated as the No. 52 ILB nationally by 247Sports; tallied 56 tackles & 4.0 sacks; team won back-to-back Class 4A state titles.
*Jarrod Hufford 6-5 300 Fr. OL Newark, Ohio (Licking Valley)
First-team all-state in Division IV; a top-50 player in Ohio; ranked as the No. 57 offensive tackle nationally by 247Sports.
D’Shayne James 6-2 200 Fr. WR Chandler, Ariz. (Perry)
Sat out senior year with injury; HM all-state as a junior, catching 45 passes for 1,086 yards and 13 TDs from Brock Purdy.
Vonzell Kelley 6-0 175 Fr. DB Lee’s Summit, Mo. (West)
Rated as the No. 109 safety nationally by 247Sports; two-time all-district pick and Class 5A state champion 110-hurdler.
Kym-Mani King 5-10 170 Fr. DB New Port Richey, Fla. (Mitchell)
Four-year starter who racked up 198 tackles and 11 interceptions in career; three-star recruit by 247Sports.
*John Kolar 6-6 200 Sr.# QB Norman, Okla. (North)
A graduate transfer from Oklahoma State; was a four-star prospect out of high school; older brother of TE Charlie Kolar.
Skylar Loving-Black 6-3 220 Fr. TE San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian)
Rated as the No. 47 tight end nationally by 247Sports; seven of his 13 catches went for TDs in senior season.
D.J. Miller 5-11 170 Fr. DB O’Fallon, Mo. (John Burroughs)
Rated as the No. 74 cornerback and the 18th-best player in Missouri by Rivals; first-team all-state in Class 3A as a senior.
*Blake Peterson 6-4 250 Fr. DE Beresford, S.D. (Beresford)
Four-star recruit and the No. 309 player nationally by 247Sports; top recruit in South Dakota; first-team all-state with 15.0 TFL.
Darien Porter 6-4 180 Fr. WR Bettendorf, Iowa (Bettendorf)
Rated as the No. 63 WR nationally & the sixth-best player in Iowa by 247Sports; had 27 catches for 440 yards and 7 TDs in ‘18.
Jake Remsburg 6-6 305 Fr. OL West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
Two-time Des Moines Register Elite Team All-State pick; the No. 92 OT and 8th-best player in Iowa by 247Sports.
Darrell Simmons 6-3 295 Fr. OL Belleville, Ill. (East St. Louis)
First-team Class 7A all-state selection; rated as the No. 68 OG nationally by 247Sports; a top-35 player in Illinois.
Corey Suttle 6-4 250 Fr. DE Jefferson City, Mo. (Jefferson City)
A top-500 player nationally, the 33rd-best SDE and the 10th-best player in Missouri according to 247Sports.
Grant Treiber 6-6 295 Fr. OL Sioux Falls, S.D. (Lincoln)
Ranked as the No. 71 offensive tackle nationally by Rivals; rated as the No. 2 player in South Dakota by 247Sports.
Isheem Young 5-10 200 Fr. DB Philadelphia, Pa. (Imhotep Charter)
A four-star recruit by 247Sports who is listed as a top-400 player and the No. 30 safety nationally; first-team all-state pick.
*Mid-Year Enrollee
Incoming Walk-Ons
Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Hometown
Mason Cassady 6-0 175 Fr. DB Truro, Iowa (Interstate 35)
All-state honoree who compiled nearly 4,000 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns as a four-year starter.
Will Clapper 6-3 290 Fr. OL Baxter, Iowa (Baxter)
Three-time all-state pick who chose to walk-on at ISU over offers from South Dakota State and South Dakota.
Andrew Ernstmeyer 6-2 215 Fr. LB Eau Claire, Wis. (Regis)
Earned all-state honors and led team to an 11-1 record in senior season.
Trey Fancher 6-5 185 Fr. LS Waunakee, Wis. (Waunakee)
One of the top long snappers in this year’s class, earning a 4.5-star rating from Kohl’s Kicking; successful in 55-of-57 snaps.
Levi Hummel 5-11 220 Fr. LB Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic)
First-team Class 4A all-state selection in 2018, leading state championship team in tackles with 65.
Evan Kilstrom 6-5 285 Fr. OL Bettendorf, Iowa (Pleasant Valley)
Two-time all-district selection and second-team all-state pick as a senior.
Kyle Krezek 6-3 250 Fr. DL Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier)
first-team all-state selection and two-year starter on back-to-back state champion teams, going 26-0 in last two seasons.
Devin Larsen 6-4 210 Fr. QB Gilbert, Ariz. (Queen Creek)
Three-time all-state pick who chose to walk-on at ISU over offer from Idaho; threw for over 7,000 yards and 75 TDs in career.
Drake Nettles 5-11 170 Fr. PK Council Bluffs, Iowa (Lewis Central)
two-time all-state honoree; as a senior, led the state in touchbacks (69) and was 8-of-10 on field goals.
Drew Olson 6-1 180 Fr. RB Dakota Dunes, S.D. (Bishop Heelan)
Two-time all-district honoree and all-state pick in 2017; two-way starter in last two seasons.
Logan Otting 6-1 190 Fr. LB Cascade, Iowa (Cascade)
Chose to walk-on at Iowa State over an offer from Wayne State; first-team all-state selection as a senior.
Tyler Rodgers 5-11 170 Fr. DB Ankeny, Iowa (Centennial)
First-team Class 4A all-state pick in 2018; two-time all-district selection; had 58 tackles as a senior.
Owen Terwilliger 6-5 250 Fr. OL Humboldt, Iowa (Humboldt)
Two-time all-district player as an offensive and defensive lineman; had 28.5 tackles, 5.5 TFL and three sacks in 2018.
