With signing day just around the corner, we're going to break down the biggest positional need for every Big 12 team. Then ESPN recruiting guru Jeremy Crabtree will reveal how the teams are addressing those holes in recruiting.
We continue this series with the Iowa State Cyclones.
Position of need: Offensive line
Who they're losing:
First-year coach Matt Campbell arrives in Ames with plenty of talent on his roster. Running back Mike Warren was the ESPN.com rookie of the year. Allen Lazard was an ESPN.com All-Big 12 underclassman wide receiver. Joel Lanning showed promise after taking over at quarterback. And the defense brings back some proven pieces, notably tackle Demond Tucker, safety Kamari Cotton-Moya and cornerback Brian Peavy.
Campbell, however, takes over with an offensive line short on collective experience. The Cyclones graduated four starters from the offensive line, and that doesn't include standout guard Daniel Burton, who is reportedly leaving the program. That leaves left tackle Jake Campos as the only reliable cog coming back up front.
With the offensive skill firepower, the Cyclones could be a dangerous team in Campbell's debut. But first, he must reconfigure the Iowa State offensive line. -- Trotter
Who they're getting:
Iowa State’s class is in a state of flux, with Campbell having very little time to get the Cyclones’ recruiting back on track after the coaching change. The Cyclones have only one true offensive lineman committed, but he’s a good one. Three-star Oge Udeogu is the No. 8 junior-college guard in the country, and he was somebody Campbell’s staff had to re-recruit to get him solid with his commitment.
However, Iowa State knows it has to get more bodies at the position, so that’s why recruits like four-star tackle Sean Foster and three-star guards Dylan Powell and Trystan Castillo have become priority prospects. All three visited Ames this past weekend and would be significant gets for the Cyclones. -- Crabtree