Matt Campbell Shares Reaction to Fantastic Recruiting for Iowa State Cyclones

What does Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell think about the recent recruiting class?

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell celebrates after an interception by defenders against Kansas during the fourth quarter in the senior day on Nov. 22, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones just recently wrapped up signing day, and it was an impressive day for the program. 

This season, the Cyclones might not have been able to reach all of their goals on the field, but they were 8-4 and played some good football along the way. There are certainly a couple of games and some notable plays that the team would like to have back, but this is a program that is heading in the right direction and building something nice. 

A lot of the credit for the success of the program in recent years has to go to head coach Matt Campbell. The veteran coach has been a fixture of the team for years now, and that stability has helped result in success. 

Even though the program still isn’t a powerhouse when it comes to recruiting, they are taking strides to improve. With the 2026 class coming in, Campbell recently reacted to what is being considered the highest-ranked class for him, according to 247Sports. 

"The reality is, you won't know for two or three years, but what I do know is one of the things I'm really excited about this group is 10 years being somewhere — you know who fits, you know what you're looking for, and you haven't wavered," Campbell said to Eugene Rapay of the Des Moines Register. 

Great Recruiting Class Incoming

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Even though the team likely won’t reap the benefits of this strong recruiting class for the next couple of seasons, it’s going to be fun to monitor the development of some of these players. Being ranked in the Top 50 nationally by 247Sports is a significant deal, and it was the best recruiting class since 2020. 

The Cyclones were able to get 22 players to commit, with one four-star prospect and 21 three-star players. This is a large class, and that is going to provide the program with a lot of depth going forward. 

When looking at the ranking in the Big 12, the team came in ninth overall but did rank second overall behind just the West Virginia Mountaineers in the number of three-star prospects signed. The Cyclones have rarely been a team to land the star talent, and this plan of attack has worked well for them. 

Now, while signing day comes to a close, the team will be focused on bowl season and the transfer portal. This is a new dynamic that coaches have to deal with, but it will present more opportunities to improve the team.