Class of 2027 Recruit Was Impressed by Tre Bell During Iowa State Cyclones Visit

Tre Bell made a lasting impression on a recruit who visited the Iowa State Cyclones.

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The Iowa State Cyclones have been busy handling business both on and off the field. Undefeated with a 5-0 record after beating the Arizona Wildcats in Week 5, they are using their success on the gridiron to appeal to recruits who have been visiting the school.

This past weekend, one of the high school players who took in the action at Ames was Class of 2027 cornerback Evan Via. A product of Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis, Missouri, he is generating a lot of interest as a recruit.

Despite not currently being ranked by 247Sports, schools are lining up to bring him into the fold. He has already received five offers, four of which are from Power Conference schools. In addition to Iowa State, the Cincinnati Bearcats, Purdue Boilermakers and Wisconsin Badgers have made offers.

As if the Cyclones didn’t have enough pressure heading out for their first true road game of the Big 12 schedule this weekend to face Cincinnati, there is a little more now. A victory over their conference foes could be what helps swing Via one way or the other when he makes his decision on where to continue his football career.

Iowa State certainly did a good job of grabbing his attention when he visited this past weekend. Taking in a win at Jack Trice Stadium during a whiteout is certainly a great selling point for the program.

Tre Bell impressed recruit Evan Via during Arizona game

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Another thing the Cyclones have working for them in their recruitment of Via is defensive back Tre Bell. A St. Louis native himself, he had a chance to speak to the young cornerback after the game. Via came away impressed by how Bell carried himself on the field and was thrilled about getting to talk to him after the game.

“Tre Bell caught my eye, as it was his first start, and he played really well. He was also from St. Louis, so we were able to talk after the game, which was cool,” Via said, courtesy of Tom Loy of 247Sports.

Bell has turned into an integral part of the Iowa State defensive game plan. Against the Wildcats, he had four tackles, one of which was for a loss. His role is only going to expand with their top two cornerbacks, Jeremiah Cooper and Jontez Williams, both suffering season-ending injuries.

TRE BELL 👀@TreBell13

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/pOesJNgJoV

— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) September 13, 2025

He won’t be the only player tasked with more opportunities moving forward. The entire secondary is going to have to step up. And for at least one game, they did that, impressive Via with how clean their operation is in the defensive backfield.

"While watching the game, the coverage skills of the defensive backs caught my eye. They got two interceptions, one in both man and zone, which was nice. They also made good open-field tackles when they were needed,” the Class of 2027 product said.

It certainly sounds like a great impression was made this past weekend. There is still work to do to get a commitment from Via, but the Cyclones are doing a great job in the early going to remain at the forefront.