by Bill Seals
A three-star defensive lineman from Nebraska has taken four visits to Iowa State over the past several months, so it was easy to understand why he was ecstatic to recently receive an offer from head coach Matt Campbell.
Lincoln Southeast junior Bryson Williams said the offer came relatively early in the spring evaluation period, after one of the Cyclones’ assistant coaches saw him at school.
“My offer came a few weeks ago after Coach Rasheed came out here and saw me work out,” said Williams during an on-site interview with Cyclone Report on Friday. “He told me he was going to give the coach a call and then Coach Campbell called me about 45 minutes later and offered me.
“Iowa State is the only school I’ve been at for two football camps. I was there going into my sophomore and junior years. I’ve also been there for two visits – a practice and the spring game. Me being around so much shows that I’m interested in the program, and I think they got that feeling too.”
The 6-foot-2, 293-pound Williams, who is being recruited as a three-technique defensive tackle, said Rasheed liked a number of aspects of the recruit’s game.
“I’ve been talking to him for a while and some of the things he mainly likes are my work ethic, the way I can use my hands to get around people and my speed,” Williams said. “Their team is really big on speed – all of their linemen are pretty quick.”
Having been around the I-State program multiple times in the Campbell era, Williams said he likes the way the program is progressing, especially along the defensive front.
“Getting to go to the practice and the spring game, especially the spring game, I feel like the defensive line had really improved and was aggressive,” Williams said. “I think they’re definitely one of the teams on the come-up right now. All of the defensive linemen like to get after it.
“None of them are super-heavy or super-tall, and are kind of my type of build. It’s nice seeing that. They have a similar playing style as me – making sure they can still take on the double-teams while also chasing down the backers.”
Williams also knows he would be in capable hands if he were to sign with the Cyclones in the Class of 2018.
“The way Coach Rasheed coaches them is the way a player should want to be coached,” Williams said. “It’s on you but it isn’t on you too much, to where you want to put your head down. He’ll let you know when you mess up and you’ve got to respect that. I really like the way Coach Rasheed does it.
“I’ve also spoken to Coach Campbell just as long as any other coach I’ve talked to. I sat down and talked to him one time for an hour and a half. I got to hear his story and where he came from. He’s really respectable.”
Since receiving the offer, Williams said he has grown even closer to the Cyclones’ coaching staff.
“A few days ago, I FaceTime’d Coach Rasheed and Coach Campbell just before track practice,” he saids. “I was also in contact with (Assistant Director of Scouting) Derek Hoodjer. The relationship is definitely more developed now and we talk a lot.”
Already having Power-5 offers from ISU, Iowa and Kansas State, to go along with a host of G5 and Ivy League offers, Williams will face a difficult decision when he is ready to choose a school. The junior said he hopes to pick his future destination in the coming months, and that the Cyclones will be in the picture.
“As of right now, I don’t have a list of one, two, three,” Williams said. “Iowa State is definitely in the upper-part of my list. It’s an offer I was hoping to get, because I’ve been up there so many times. I’m planning on committing by the end of the summer so I can focus on my senior season.”
Williams, who will compete at the Rivals Adidas camp in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 21st, is also planning what would be his fifth visit to Ames for early this summer.
A three-star defensive lineman from Nebraska has taken four visits to Iowa State over the past several months, so it was easy to understand why he was ecstatic to recently receive an offer from head coach Matt Campbell.
Lincoln Southeast junior Bryson Williams said the offer came relatively early in the spring evaluation period, after one of the Cyclones’ assistant coaches saw him at school.
“My offer came a few weeks ago after Coach Rasheed came out here and saw me work out,” said Williams during an on-site interview with Cyclone Report on Friday. “He told me he was going to give the coach a call and then Coach Campbell called me about 45 minutes later and offered me.
“Iowa State is the only school I’ve been at for two football camps. I was there going into my sophomore and junior years. I’ve also been there for two visits – a practice and the spring game. Me being around so much shows that I’m interested in the program, and I think they got that feeling too.”
The 6-foot-2, 293-pound Williams, who is being recruited as a three-technique defensive tackle, said Rasheed liked a number of aspects of the recruit’s game.
“I’ve been talking to him for a while and some of the things he mainly likes are my work ethic, the way I can use my hands to get around people and my speed,” Williams said. “Their team is really big on speed – all of their linemen are pretty quick.”
Having been around the I-State program multiple times in the Campbell era, Williams said he likes the way the program is progressing, especially along the defensive front.
“Getting to go to the practice and the spring game, especially the spring game, I feel like the defensive line had really improved and was aggressive,” Williams said. “I think they’re definitely one of the teams on the come-up right now. All of the defensive linemen like to get after it.
“None of them are super-heavy or super-tall, and are kind of my type of build. It’s nice seeing that. They have a similar playing style as me – making sure they can still take on the double-teams while also chasing down the backers.”
Williams also knows he would be in capable hands if he were to sign with the Cyclones in the Class of 2018.
“The way Coach Rasheed coaches them is the way a player should want to be coached,” Williams said. “It’s on you but it isn’t on you too much, to where you want to put your head down. He’ll let you know when you mess up and you’ve got to respect that. I really like the way Coach Rasheed does it.
“I’ve also spoken to Coach Campbell just as long as any other coach I’ve talked to. I sat down and talked to him one time for an hour and a half. I got to hear his story and where he came from. He’s really respectable.”
Since receiving the offer, Williams said he has grown even closer to the Cyclones’ coaching staff.
“A few days ago, I FaceTime’d Coach Rasheed and Coach Campbell just before track practice,” he saids. “I was also in contact with (Assistant Director of Scouting) Derek Hoodjer. The relationship is definitely more developed now and we talk a lot.”
Already having Power-5 offers from ISU, Iowa and Kansas State, to go along with a host of G5 and Ivy League offers, Williams will face a difficult decision when he is ready to choose a school. The junior said he hopes to pick his future destination in the coming months, and that the Cyclones will be in the picture.
“As of right now, I don’t have a list of one, two, three,” Williams said. “Iowa State is definitely in the upper-part of my list. It’s an offer I was hoping to get, because I’ve been up there so many times. I’m planning on committing by the end of the summer so I can focus on my senior season.”
Williams, who will compete at the Rivals Adidas camp in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 21st, is also planning what would be his fifth visit to Ames for early this summer.
