Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State, Matt Campbell Land Intriguing 2026 Defensive Recruit On Sunday

The Iowa State Cyclones were able to land another 2026 defensive prospect after visiting the program last weekend.

Dylan Feltovich

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell stands on the field before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell stands on the field before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

While Iowa State Cyclone fans were enjoying Father's Day on Sunday, head coach Matt Campbell made another splash in the 2026 recruiting cycle, this time on the defensive side.

According to an X post, 2026 three-star defensive end Ajibola Afuye announced his commitment to the Cyclones over the weekend.

As a top-10 player in the state of Minnesota, Campbell and the rest of the coaching staff moved quickly for the young talent. After receiving an offer from the program on Jun. 4, Afuye took an official visit to Ames this past weekend, which was immediately followed up with a commitment from the defensive prospect. His junior season at Stillwater Area High School helped him gain the attention of multiple division one programs after finishing with 60 tackles, six tackles for losses and four sacks.

With Afuye commitment on Sunday, Campbell's 2026 recruiting class now features 16 commits, with four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla still leading the group. Afuye now becomes the second defensive lineman commit in the bunch, as he joins three-star Daniel Howard as the lone prospects in that position group.

Campbell's class is the No. 31 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, according to 247Sports' Composite Ratings.

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Dylan Feltovich
DYLAN FELTOVICH

Dylan Feltovich attended John Carroll University and started working for numerous sites in the On SI network in 2023 as a staff writer. He has covered high school and college events around the Northeast Ohio area for several years.

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