Iowa State Football Offers Elite Class of 2028 OL Pursued by Michigan

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to do battle with the Michigan Wolverines for a Class of 2028 offensive lineman.

Apr 1, 2023; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines helmet on the sideline during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have been working diligently on the recruiting trail the last few weeks, looking to solidify the future of the program on the gridiron.

First-year head coach Jimmy Rogers and his staff have been making offers to plenty of prospects throughout the spring session and in the weeks after. They are aiming very high on the recruiting board, with a few elite players receiving offers.

The most recent is offensive lineman Antijuan Wilkes Jr. He is an elite recruit out of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, who has an NIL valuation of $413,000 as he wraps up his sophomore year of high school.

It should come as little surprise that the Michigan Wolverines are one of the teams that Iowa State is joining in on the mix for Wilkes Jr. Michigan is currently the top school on Rivals Predictions with a 37.3% chance of landing a commitment from the talented offensive tackle.

Iowa State makes offer to 4-star OT Antijuan Wilkes Jr.

Iowa State offensive line coach Jake Thornton talks to media during a media opportunity at Stark Performance center on Feb. 11, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Second on that list is the Michigan State Spartans at 24.8%. No other team is in the double digits for percentage chances of landing him. The Cyclones are one of 18 teams that have been given a 1.1% chance in pursuit of the elite recruit.

Rivals has currently given him the highest rating at 96. That makes him the No. 5-ranked player nationally, No. 1 amongst offensive tackles and the best player in the state of Michigan. 247Sports gave him a 90 rating, putting him at No. 83 nationally, No. 9 amongst players at his position and No. 4 in the state.

“High-upside offensive tackle prospect who looks like one of the top linemen early on in the 2028 cycle. Has a projectable frame with elite length, measuring in at around 6-foot-5, 265 pounds with 35+ arms prior to his junior season,” wrote Charles Power in a scouting report of Wilkes Jr.

Iowa state offered pic.twitter.com/CZnERZINBf

— Antijuan Dishun Wilkes jr (@AntijuanDishun) May 12, 2026

A ton of work is going to have to be done by Rogers and offensive line coach Jake Thornton to secure a commitment from Wilkes Jr. He has already received 29 offers, 20 of which are from Power Conference programs. That includes old friend Matt Campbell and the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Cass Technical product has already had four visits with the Wolverines and three with the Spartans. One visit has also been made to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, so Iowa State has some ground to make up.

It will be a worthwhile pursuit to see if they can get into the mix. Wilkes Jr. is shaping up to be one of the best recruits in the Class of 2028, and if he were to commit to the Cyclones, he would be the best high school player they have ever had join the program.