Iowa State Football Getting First Visit With Versatile Class of 2027 Defender

The Iowa State Cyclones are fast approaching what will be the busiest weekend of the spring and summer, with a large contingent of recruits coming to Ames for an official visit.

Head coach Jimmy Rogers and the rest of the staff are going to be hard at work, selling the new-look program to high schoolers who could become future Cyclones. One player who is going to be present this weekend is Jalen Welch.

He is a versatile defender in the Class of 2027 and is going to be one of the players present for an official visit May 28-30. Things moved fast between Iowa State and the Grayson Rams product this spring.

A good enough impression must have been made by the Cyclones because they are the first school that Welch is making an official visit to. He has seemingly narrowed things down to four programs, including Iowa State, according to Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required): the West Virginia Mountaineers, Syracuse Orange and Virginia Tech Hokies.

Iowa State getting first visit with Jalen Welch

The Iowa State Cyclones mascot poses for a photo during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs. — Nov 8, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; The Iowa State Cyclones mascot poses for a photo during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“After the week of Iowa State, I have West Virginia June 5th through the 7th, then after that I have Syracuse June 12th through the 14th, and then my last one will be Virginia Tech June 19th through the 21st,” he said. “I would like to make a commitment in late June, around either the 24th or the 25th.”

Being the first school to host Welch for a visit can certainly be an advantage for the Cyclones. There is always the possibility that Rogers and the staff sell him on the school so well that he decides to commit and doesn’t even make it to the other campus visits that he has planned.

A three-star rated player, he will bring versatility to whichever defense he joins. Listed at 6-foot-2 ⅕ inches tall and 189 pounds, he has the ability to line up all over the defense, whether it is at outside linebacker, nickel corner or high safety.

Next week May 28-30th we LOCKED in with @CycloneFB !!!🌪️🌪️ @ISURogers3 @CoachBobbit @J_Menage3 @EwaldTaylor @andy_lucas98 @CycloneReport @grayson_fb @CoachCarswell @TrellJones203 @Coach_AMHill pic.twitter.com/jaYeL9YBC2
— 3⭐️ Saftey Jalen Welch (@JalenWelch08) May 23, 2026

That versatility is something that defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit really likes. And when he is on campus, they can delve deeper into how his skill set could translate to the new defense they are implementing at Iowa State.

Regardless of where he lined up during his junior year with Grayson, Welch was making an impact. He recorded 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two interceptions last season.

The Cyclones currently have seven players committed in the Class of 2027, but only one of them, Zivad Robinson, is on the defensive side of the ball.

Add us as a preferred source on Google