by Bill Seals
A Michigan defensive lineman in the 2021 class made a repeat visit to Iowa State in mid-September and said he got a good glimpse into the football program.
Detroit Cass Tech junior Doran Ray traveled to ISU to watch the Iowa game, and with the two weather delays, got to spent even more time in Ames than he bargained for.
“It was a great visit,” said Ray. “We got there, sat down, ate and I got to talk to the coaches. I brought my mom and stepfather and they got to interact with the coaches and ask the coaches they wanted to ask. I had a good conversation with Coach Rasheed. He asked me how my season was going. He told me to keep working.
“Coach McDonald talked to my mom about academics. I got a nice overview of the program from Coach Kratch, Coach Highland and Coach Hoodjer, about how they recruit kids and what they’re looking for.
Although Iowa State didn’t come away with the win over the Hawkeyes, Ray said he came away impressed with the atmosphere in Jack Trice Stadium that night.
“In terms of the game, even though there was a rain delay, the fans stayed and it was still crowded,” he said. “It was also crazy because people know who you are. They don’t have a big professional sports team, so people know who the recruits are. The fans are really friendly. I was walking up to the stands and people asked if I was enjoying myself. It was a family-friendly environment. I loved it.”
The position the Cyclones will ask Ray to play at the next level isn’t a glamorous one, but it’s a role the Michigan high schooler said he’d embrace.
“I love the defense Iowa State runs with the three-man front,” he said. “The nose guard, my position, they ask them to take on double teams. The outside dudes have one-on-one matchups. The nose guards held their own and got the job done, even though they didn’t come up with the win.”
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Ray collected an offer from the Cyclones over the summer and visited in late-July. He also has offers from Bowling Green and Western Michigan.
He said I-State has done a good job recruiting him since offering.
“I hear from them frequently,” Ray said. “They send me plenty of mail. Coach McDonald texts me all the time.”
A follow-up visit to Ames is already in the works, says Ray.
“The plan is to take another visit after the season and get the academic piece going,” he said. “Academics is a big thing to me, so I want to go down there and get that aspect. It would probably be after my season, so maybe for a bowl practice or in the wintertime for a Junior Day.”
A Michigan defensive lineman in the 2021 class made a repeat visit to Iowa State in mid-September and said he got a good glimpse into the football program.
Detroit Cass Tech junior Doran Ray traveled to ISU to watch the Iowa game, and with the two weather delays, got to spent even more time in Ames than he bargained for.
“It was a great visit,” said Ray. “We got there, sat down, ate and I got to talk to the coaches. I brought my mom and stepfather and they got to interact with the coaches and ask the coaches they wanted to ask. I had a good conversation with Coach Rasheed. He asked me how my season was going. He told me to keep working.
“Coach McDonald talked to my mom about academics. I got a nice overview of the program from Coach Kratch, Coach Highland and Coach Hoodjer, about how they recruit kids and what they’re looking for.
Although Iowa State didn’t come away with the win over the Hawkeyes, Ray said he came away impressed with the atmosphere in Jack Trice Stadium that night.
“In terms of the game, even though there was a rain delay, the fans stayed and it was still crowded,” he said. “It was also crazy because people know who you are. They don’t have a big professional sports team, so people know who the recruits are. The fans are really friendly. I was walking up to the stands and people asked if I was enjoying myself. It was a family-friendly environment. I loved it.”
The position the Cyclones will ask Ray to play at the next level isn’t a glamorous one, but it’s a role the Michigan high schooler said he’d embrace.
“I love the defense Iowa State runs with the three-man front,” he said. “The nose guard, my position, they ask them to take on double teams. The outside dudes have one-on-one matchups. The nose guards held their own and got the job done, even though they didn’t come up with the win.”
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Ray collected an offer from the Cyclones over the summer and visited in late-July. He also has offers from Bowling Green and Western Michigan.
He said I-State has done a good job recruiting him since offering.
“I hear from them frequently,” Ray said. “They send me plenty of mail. Coach McDonald texts me all the time.”
A follow-up visit to Ames is already in the works, says Ray.
“The plan is to take another visit after the season and get the academic piece going,” he said. “Academics is a big thing to me, so I want to go down there and get that aspect. It would probably be after my season, so maybe for a bowl practice or in the wintertime for a Junior Day.”
