Iowa State Football Address Position of Need With Class of 2027 Commit

A Class of 2027 commit to the Iowa State Cyclones fills a position of need.

Iowa State football head coach Jimmy Rogers talks to media during NFL football pro-day at Bergstrom Football Complex on March 24, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones continue to find a ton of success on the recruiting trail, landing players who have been coming to Ames recently for camps and official visits.

Head coach Jimmy Rogers has been doing a great job of laying the foundation for the future of the program. Players who are coming to campus are really liking the atmosphere he is creating, which bodes well for their recruitment.

One of the players who committed most recently is Dontrell Young. A three-star player from the Oswego Panthers, hailing from Illinois, he fills a position of need as a defensive back. 

He was someone on the radar of the Cyclones for a while, but he really impressed while participating in a North Central Camp in front of defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit and cornerbacks coach Mike Banks.

Iowa State secures commitment from Dontrell Young

Iowa State cornerbacks coach Mike Banks talks to media during the football defensive coaches media opportunity at the university’s Stark Performance Center on Feb. 13, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“There were interested in me, so once they found out I was going to North Central (camp), they sent some coaches down to watch me,” said Young, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “We started off with our testing. After I ran a 4.41 in 40, which I had the fastest 40 at the camp, that kind of solidified things and really showed off my speed. I was also able to showcase my quickness during the other testing drills.

“After all the testing, we got into playing the ball and footwork, and I feel that really made a big factor. They offered me right there those drills and before one-on-ones.”

It didn’t take long for Young to weigh the offer from Iowa State against the others he had received. He had five others, from the Central Michigan Chippewas, Western Illinois Leathernecks, North Dakota State Bison, Miami (OH) RedHawks and James Madison Dukes.

Official visits were set with Central Michigan and North Dakota State on June 11-13 and June 16-18, but those will be canceled since Young has committed to the Cyclones.

#AGTG After a great official visit, I am proud to announce that I am committed to IOWA STATE!! @Coach_MBanks24 @CycloneFB @CooneyPanthers @AllenTrieu @EDGYTIM @OJW_Scouting @CoachLenti5 pic.twitter.com/MAUOatVKKF

— Dontrell Young (@DontrellYoung9) June 9, 2026

“This is big,” he said. “I’m just so proud of myself, and it’s all the hard work that I’m fitting and showing off, so this is a big moment for me. I’m just going to soak it all in.”

Young showed a lot of toughness, playing through a broken wrist for the majority of his junior year. It didn’t stop him from playing in all 14 games and stuffing the stat sheet. He recorded 52 tackles, one sack, one defensive touchdown and five pass breakups, getting the job done.

His speed is the skill that stands out the most, but there is a lot more to his game as the Oswego product is more than a one-trick pony.