Iowa State Football Playing Catch-Up in 2027 Recruiting Race - But the Push Is On
AMES - When Jimmy Rogers took over at Iowa State, he didn’t sugarcoat the state of things on the recruiting trail. “Still behind,” he admitted recently.
And he wasn’t wrong - at least not when it comes to high school recruiting. While other Big 12 programs have already started stacking commitments for the 2027 class, the Cyclones are still laying the foundation.
But that doesn’t mean they’re standing still.
Over the last couple of weeks, Rogers and general manager Ricky Ciccone have been in full-on catch-up mode, working to build out their recruiting board and identify the kind of talent that can shape the future of the program. It’s a tall task in a conference that’s only getting more competitive - half the league’s 16 teams already have at least one high school commit for the 2027 cycle. Texas Tech leads the early charge with five, while Baylor (4), Arizona State (2), Cincinnati (2), and Arizona (2) are also off and running.
Iowa State, meanwhile, has extended around 20 scholarship offers to 2027 prospects so far. That number is expected to grow as the staff continues its evaluations and connections across the state and beyond.
But the timeline is tight. Recruiting calendars are moving faster than ever, and staying competitive means accelerating everything - from scouting to relationship-building to campus visits.
One notable shift: Don’t expect a traditional winter junior day in Ames this year. Instead, the Cyclones are planning to start bringing in 2027 recruits during the spring, aligning visits with football practices at Jack Trice Stadium and inside the Stark Performance Center. It’s a strategic move - more face time with coaches, more chances for recruits to see the program in action, and more opportunities to sell the culture Rogers is trying to build.
Right now, the focus is simple: identify, offer, and engage. The staff is working to get in front of prospects early, especially those within the state’s borders, where building local relationships could pay off big down the road.
It’s early in the 2027 cycle, but in the Big 12, early matters. Rogers knows that.
Ciccone knows that. And the effort they’re putting in now is all about making sure Iowa State doesn’t just catch up - but starts to close the gap with the programs already ahead of the curve.
The Cyclones may be behind, but they’re not staying there. The groundwork is being laid. Now it’s about execution.