Iowa State Was 'Dream School' for One Class of 2026 Committed Player

One player in the recruiting Class of 2026 has dreamed of playing for the Iowa State Cyclones.

Jan 2, 2021; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an Iowa State Cyclones helmet during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Signing Day on Dec. 3 and Feb. 4 were both busy for the Iowa State Cyclones football team.

On the first one, Matt Campbell knocked on the door of history with a top-50 class. Just a few days later, he departed for the Penn State Nittany Lions, leading to a 22-player class diminishing to just six holdovers.

For the February Signing Day, it was the first chance for Jimmy Rogers to secure commitments as head coach. That is exactly what he did, with plenty of players committing to the program, including interior defensive lineman Jaden Weaver.

According to his high school coach, Sheamus Murphy, this unexpected turn of events was a dream come true for Weaver.

Jaden Weaver thrilled to be with Iowa State

Jimmy Rogers speaks during his introductory press conference as Iowa State’s new head football coach on Dec. 8, 2025, at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Well, it's awesome. This was his dream school. Both his parents attended Iowa State and his godfather played football at Iowa State, so the stars really aligned. So to see him reach that goal and be where he wants to be has been awesome,” Sheamus said in an interview with Cyclone Alert, via Alec Busse (subscription required).

Weaver was a late addition to the Class of 2026 for Rogers and the Cyclones. The Carl Sandburg High School product from Orlando Park, Illinois, was originally committed to the South Dakota Coyotes.

However, at the 11th hour right before Signing Day, Iowa State was able to convince him to flip his commitment, adding to their haul in the Class of 2026.

It happened rapidly, with Murphy revealing that things came together in about 48 hours, a fast recruitment since the Cyclones weren’t really in the mix for him despite the long line of Iowa State attendees in his family.

Sandburg defensive lineman Jaden Weaver landed at his dream college program. Read his story and more in the #SouthwestRegional signing day roundup by @JeffVorva:@EaglesAthletics @SandburgEagles https://t.co/0WBufgAk5t

— MikeClarkPreps (@mikeclarkpreps) February 12, 2026

“I would say it was a 48 hour time period. Yeah, for him, for me, his family, it did happen really fast, but I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and it came together nicely and it was meant to be,” the Carl Sandburg head coach said.

Weaver had only received four other offers outside of the one from South Dakota, from the Ball State Cardinals, Miami (OH) RedHawks, Kent State Golden Flashes and Western Illinois Leathernecks.

Iowa State swooped in with an offer late, on Feb. 2, and two days later, he was decommitting from the Coyotes and officially flipping to the Cyclones.

Certainly a whirlwind few days, but an outcome that everyone is happy with. Iowa State is where Weaver had hoped to eventually land, and that is where he will be as part of the first recruiting class under Rogers in Ames.