Iowa State Football Showing Increased Interest in Class of 2028 Lineman

The Iowa State Cyclones wasted no time making an offer to a Class of 2028 offensive lineman who was in Ames for spring practice.

Jan 2, 2021; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an Iowa State Cyclones helmet during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Spring practices are underway for the Iowa State Cyclones, which is an important phase of the recruiting process for new head coach Jimmy Rogers.

In his first year at the helm of the Cyclones football program, he has been playing catch-up right from the start. Because of when he accepted the job, his primary focus was on rebuilding the 2026 roster that was decimated by the transfer portal.

That put him and his staff behind the eight ball when it comes to laying the future foundation of the program with high school recruiting. But that is going to change during spring practice, where a ton of potential future Cyclones are attending.

One player that Iowa State is showing increased interest in is Class of 2028 offensive lineman Justin Parish Jr. He was extended a scholarship offer during his weekend visit to Ames.

Iowa State makes offer to Justin Parish Jr.

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during a timeout in the first half in the Iowa State and Iowa men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series at Hilton coliseum on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“During the visit, we checked out the athletic facilities, like the study center for athletes, the weight room the practice fields, stadium and the nutrition center,” he said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).

The Westside High School product is a three-star recruit. Offers have already come in from the Kansas State Wildcats and Washington State Cougars, with several other programs showing an interest in him as well.

Looking to create an edge over the competition, the coaching staff gave Parish some individualized attention during his visit.

“When we got there, the coaches and staff were super friendly and just great people to be around. They actually pulled me from the main group and offered me in the weight room, which meant a lot to me. It showed me they really care for me and value me,” he said.

after an amazing junior day i’m blessed to receive my third from the iowa state @CoachThornton61 @CoachTA64 @BWilliams_teach @WHSRecruitFB pic.twitter.com/Qy8uNxD55t

— Justin Parish Jr (@JustinPari4103) March 27, 2026

Little things like that are what will help separate the Cyclones from the other programs pursuing him. And, it seems to have worked, with Iowa State making a great impression and rising on his list.

“My opinion of Iowa State definitely went up after visiting,” he said. “I really liked everything about it, from the coaches to the overall environment. Being there in person made it easy for me to see myself fitting into the program and being a part of what they’re building with the new staff.”

It is still very early in the process, but Rogers and the Cyclones look to have a leg up on the competition. Over at Rivals, they predict that Iowa State has an 82.8% chance of landing a commitment from Parish.

That is lapping the field, with Kansas State at 12.1% and Washington State at 5.2%.