Iowa State football recruiting: Cyclones eye running back talent in 2019 class

AMES — Coach Matt Campbell's philosophy of Iowa State becoming the Big 12 option for Midwest football players is paying off ahead of Wednesday's early signing period.

Of the 21 commitments for the 2019 class in the early signing period, 13 are from Midwest states. There are three from Iowa, three from Missouri, two from Kansas, two from South Dakota (the two best South Dakota prospects according to 247Sports), two from Illinois and one from Ohio.

The top seven commits all are from Midwest states, including the jewel of the class, Illinois running back Jirehl Brock. He is the second-best recruit Iowa State has ever landed, according to 247Sports — the best being former record-breaking receiver Allen Lazard in the class of 2014.

Brock picked Iowa State over Iowa, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri and Purdue, among others.

Brock is the 14th-best running back in the 2019 class and has a composite rating, which considers the ratings from all legitimate recruiting sites, of 91.12.

Brock is 5-foot-11, 195 pounds and rushed for a Quincy High School-record 2,158 yards and 33 rushing touchdowns as a senior on 188 attempts. He has the Quincy career rushing record of 5,135 yards, as well.

Iowa State didn't stop at Brock, though, when recruiting running backs. The Cyclones also picked up Kansas running back Breece Hall, who has the second-highest composite rating of 88.33. Hall is the No. 28 running back in the nation, according to 247Sports.

Hall is a little bit bigger at 6-1, 215.

He chose Iowa State over Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, TCU and Baylor, among others.

Hall was invited to the U.S. Army All-American game in January after rushing for 2,127 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns on 220 attempts for Northwest High School in Wichita, Kan. He also caught 20 passes for 588 yards and eight touchdowns. He plans to enroll early at Iowa State.

Iowa State focused on getting two high-powered running backs because junior David Montgomery's future is in question. Montgomery, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons at ISU, has an opportunity to enter the NFL Draft after Iowa State's Alamo Bowl game.

Montgomery hasn't publicly indicated if he'll go to the NFL or not, but Campbell and company grabbing two highly-rated running backs could be an indication.

Campbell also filled a need at the quarterback position.

With true freshman Brock Purdy winning the starting job, the Cyclones have experienced somewhat of an exodus at the position. Sophomore Zeb Noland transferred in-season and Campbell's first-ever commit, Devon Moore (a Waterloo native), transferred to South Dakota after the season.

Iowa State has just two scholarship quarterbacks on next season's roster in Purdy and fellow freshman Re-al Mitchell.

Campbell is bringing in Oklahoma State graduate transfer John Kolar as a veteran presence. As for an incoming recruit, Campbell again turned to Kansas and got 6-6, 220-pound Easton Dean. Dean has an 86.68 composite ranking and is the No. 17 dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 class.

Dean chose Iowa State over Iowa and Kansas State.

Dean passed for 2,042 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He also rushed for 544 yards and four touchdowns. His style of play is similar to former Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, who was 6-5, 215.

The rest of the 2019 class was pretty status quo for Campbell.

He is bringing in four offensive linemen to continue raising the talent level and building depth at that position group, something he has said repeatedly needs to happen.

The most notable is Sioux Falls, S.D., native Grant Treiber, a 6-7, 280 tackle.

Campbell also continued to recruit big receivers. Junior 6-foot-6 receiver Hakeem Butler could enter the NFL Draft along with Montgomery and Iowa State also is losing 6-4 receiver Matt Eaton to graduation.

Campbell is bringing in five receivers, the shortest being 6-2. The other four are all over 6-4, including Bettendorf's Darien Porter, who is the highest ranked receiver in Iowa State's class with a composite ranking of 86.81.

Campbell's other two Iowa commits are offensive lineman Jake Remsburg from West Des Moines Valley and linebacker Coal Flansburg from Solon.

Iowa State has the 38th-best recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports, and ranks No. 4 in the Big 12 behind Texas, Oklahoma and TCU.

Iowa State football recruiting: Class of 2019

Expected to sign in the early signing period

Jirehl Brock, RB, Quincy (Quincy, Ill.), 5-11, 195

Breece Hall, RB, Northwest (Wichita, Kan.), 6-1, 215

Blake Peterson, DE, Beresford (Beresford, S.D.). 6-4, 240

Darien Porter, WR, Bettendorf, 6-4, 165

Easton Dean, QB, Labette County (Altamont, Kan), 6-6, 220

Grant Treiber, OL, Lincoln (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 6-6, 280

Corey Suttle, DE, Jefferson City (Jefferson City, Mo.), 6-4, 245

Ezeriah Anderson, WR, Armwood (Seffner, Fla.), 6-4. 198

Nathaniel Beal III, WR, Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas), 6-5, 205

Jarrod Hufford, OL, Licking Valley (Newark, Ohio), 6-5, 300

Derrick Miller, CB, John Burroughs School (Saint Louis), 5-11, 168

Leonard Glass, athlete, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.), 5-9, 173

Aric Horne, LB, Raines (Jacksonville, Fla.), 6-1, 210

Jake Remsburg, OL, Valley (West Des Moines, IA), 6-6, 293

Virdel Edwards, S, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 6-1, 185

Vonzell Kelley, S, Lee's Summit Sr. (Lees Summit, Mo.), 6-0, 175

D'Shayne James, WR, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), 6-2, 200

Darrell Simmons, OL, East St. Louis (East Saint Louis, Ill.), 6-3, 280

Coal Flansburg, LB, Solon, 6-1, 235

Kym-Mani King, CB, James W. Mitchell (New Port Richey, Fla.), 5-10, 165

Skylar Loving-Black, TE, Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.), 6-4, 220

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