Iowa State Cyclones Land Huge Recruit for Class of 2027 on the Gridiron

An in-state recruit provides the Iowa State Cyclones Class of 2027 a huge boost.

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The Iowa State Cyclones sent their seniors off on a high note, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks on Senior Day in Week 13 during their final home game at Jack Trice Stadium of their careers.

Replacing some of those long-time contributors will be easier said than done. Head coach Matt Campbell and his staff have been working hard to bring in replacements, continually working on the recruiting trail.

More players will be added in the transfer portal, but those will be supplemental additions. The core of the roster is built through high school recruiting and developing the young players who commit to the program.

The Class of 2026 looks to be a solid one, but the Class of 2027 has received a major boost with a recent commitment. Offensive lineman Will Slagle is a massive addition to the team in the trenches.

Will Slagle is major addition to Iowa State's Class of 2027

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A four-star recruit, he is the No. 1-ranked junior in the state of Iowa and ranked No. 198 overall by 247Sports. The presence of Campbell and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton helped push Slagle to stay in-state with the Cyclones.

"Coach Campbell and Coach Clanton made me comfortable with my decision," Slagle said, via Allen Trieu of 247Sports (subscription required). "I know at Iowa State, there is stability with both of those coaches. I also know they are developmental coaches with a reputation."

Iowa State is a program that Slagle knows well. His father and uncle both played at the university, making him a fan from a very young age.

That certainly helped give the Cyclones an edge with so many teams in on the Grinnell High School product. Interest in him was very high, with 13 programs offering him a scholarship, including Iowa State.

Cyclones beat out plenty of Power Conference teams to land Slagle

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12 of them came from Power Conference schools, including rivals such as the Iowa Hawkeyes and Kansas State Wildcats. The Jayhawks were the only other Big 12 school involved.

Big Ten schools were especially aggressive with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers all being involved.

"Iowa State was my first offer and so naturally, when I compared offers, I was always comparing them to Iowa State," he said. "My dad and uncle played at Iowa State so I grew up a fan therefore I've been familiar with the program since a young age. Lastly, I've always wanted to go to college at Iowa State. Before football my plan was to go there either way because of how good their Agricultural school is."

It certainly sounds like Iowa State offers everything Slagle was looking for, and hopefully, he can live up to the hype on the field as well.

Building in the trenches is the best way to ensure success on offense. Adding such a highly coveted recruit to the mix in the Class of 2027 is a great start for the Cyclones and hints at Campbell not leaving for any other jobs in this cycle.