Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State Cyclones Attempting To Flip Bowling Green Wide Receiver Commit

The Iowa State Cyclones have given an offer to a Bowling Green wide receiver commit.
Kenneth Teape|
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Iowa State Cyclones did a wonderful job locking down a commitment from wide receiver Milan Parris in the Class of 2026. A supremely talented playmaker, they are likely going to have to work double-time to convince him not to defect.

He has started receiving considerable interest from Power Conference programs across the country. An official visit to the Oklahoma Sooners was made this past weekend, and next weekend he will be heading down to Coral Gables to visit with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes.

Since September, he has received eight offers. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Cyclones are making contingency plans in case the four-star wide receiver from Walsh Jesuit in Ohio decides to reopen his commitment.

Iowa State makes offer to wide receiver Joshua Smith

That is likely part of the reason why Iowa State has increased its pursuit of three-star wide receiver Joshua Smith. Currently committed to the Bowling Green Falcons, he revealed on his X account that the Cyclones extended him an official offer over the weekend.

"I am blessed to have offers from all the colleges that have offered me," Smith told Cyclone Alert via text message on Sunday evening, courtesy of Alec Busse. "I've done research on every school that I have an offer from."

The No. 54-ranked player in Ohio, Smith attends Columbus Africentric Early College. He is the No. 99-ranked athlete and is 1,671 nationally in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Iowa State is the second Power Conference school to make an offer to him. The Cincinnati Bearcats, who defeated the Cyclones this past weekend and handed them their first loss of the 2025 campaign, offered him a scholarship in September.

Smith noted that there were no Iowa State coaches at his most recent game, Friday night. But that doesn’t sound like it will hurt their chances of making a run at flipping his recruitment.

One thing that the Cyclones have working in their favor when it comes to recruiting wide receivers is the success the program has had sending players to the NFL. In the 2025 NFL Draft, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were both selected by the Houston Texans on Day 2 in Rounds 2 and 3.

Xavier Hutchinson was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, also by the Texans. Current New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard was coached by Matt Campbell at Iowa State, too.

Smith has visited Ames previously, but the coaching staff is working on setting up another visit in the near future. Their bye following a Week 7 matchup on the road against the Colorado Buffaloes or homecoming against the BYU Cougars in Week 9 are two dates being discussed, per Busse.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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