by Bill Seals
Iowa State's already-stellar 2017 recruiting class got a whole lot better on Monday afternoon with the news of four-star safety Kam White's commitment to the Cyclones.
The Clinton (Miss.) standout announced the news on his Twitter account, and in a follow-up interview said it was head coach Matt Campbell's staff that ultimately sealed the deal for him.
"It was all about how their coaches recruited," said White. "They were on me, all of them. I know I texted a different one every day. Coach (Mark) Thurston was on me the most. He wasn't like the annoying kind. We have a bond, as do me and Coach (Matt) Campbell. That means a lot to me to have a bond with the head coach."
In addition to I-State, White also had Power-5 offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
The 6-foot-2, 189-pound rising senior said the news even caught the Cyclones' coaching staff off balance.
"All of them were just happy to hear the news," White said. "Coach Campbell was very excited. He texted me and said, 'if this is true please call me'. He was ecstatic; everyone was."
White took his first and only visit to Ames in conjunction with the spring game in April. He said the experience left a lasting impression on him.
"When I went up there, they made me feel like it was home," he said. "They rolled out the red carpet for me. It was pretty great. There were a lot of fans up there for the spring game and I met some of the recruits and we had some fun. There was a player on the team from Mississippi (Demond Tucker) and I bonded with him. He really likes it."
Although he's listed in the Rivals database as an athlete, White said he's being targeted to play one position on the ISU defense.
"They're going to plug me in at safety," he said. "The coaches really like my size, athleticism and the way I go after the ball."
White said he will take his official visit to Iowa State the weekend of September 3rd and will be in Jack Trice Stadium for the season opener against Northern Iowa.
Iowa State's already-stellar 2017 recruiting class got a whole lot better on Monday afternoon with the news of four-star safety Kam White's commitment to the Cyclones.
The Clinton (Miss.) standout announced the news on his Twitter account, and in a follow-up interview said it was head coach Matt Campbell's staff that ultimately sealed the deal for him.
"It was all about how their coaches recruited," said White. "They were on me, all of them. I know I texted a different one every day. Coach (Mark) Thurston was on me the most. He wasn't like the annoying kind. We have a bond, as do me and Coach (Matt) Campbell. That means a lot to me to have a bond with the head coach."
In addition to I-State, White also had Power-5 offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
The 6-foot-2, 189-pound rising senior said the news even caught the Cyclones' coaching staff off balance.
"All of them were just happy to hear the news," White said. "Coach Campbell was very excited. He texted me and said, 'if this is true please call me'. He was ecstatic; everyone was."
White took his first and only visit to Ames in conjunction with the spring game in April. He said the experience left a lasting impression on him.
"When I went up there, they made me feel like it was home," he said. "They rolled out the red carpet for me. It was pretty great. There were a lot of fans up there for the spring game and I met some of the recruits and we had some fun. There was a player on the team from Mississippi (Demond Tucker) and I bonded with him. He really likes it."
Although he's listed in the Rivals database as an athlete, White said he's being targeted to play one position on the ISU defense.
"They're going to plug me in at safety," he said. "The coaches really like my size, athleticism and the way I go after the ball."
White said he will take his official visit to Iowa State the weekend of September 3rd and will be in Jack Trice Stadium for the season opener against Northern Iowa.
