by Bill Seals
A three-star wide receiver from the St. Louis metropolitan area has scheduled an official visit to Iowa State for later this month and says the new coaching staff in Ames has made quite the impression over the course of the past two weeks.
Florissant McCluer North’s Harry Ballard, the sixth-ranked player in the state of Missouri and 89th at his position nationally, has offers from ISU and Illinois but says one program currently sticks out above the rest.
“I got contacted later on Christmas and got some information on Iowa State and the new coaching staff,” said Ballard, who caught 32 passes for 606 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns as a senior last fall.
“The next week I got an offer from the head coach. I have taken an unofficial visit in the past with the other coaching staff, so I’m going to take later this month. I’m about 90 percent sure that I’ll be committing. I’m pretty sure I’ll be a Cyclone.”
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Ballard said he was lightly recruited while ISU head coach Matt Campbell had been at Toledo, and that the interest piqued in recent weeks.
“The head coach really impressed me a lot,” Ballard said. “I remember he coached at Toledo and was recruiting me there, but felt that it was too small of a school to approach me at. Now that he’s transferred to a bigger school, he can recruit me more and build a better relationship.”
ISU is looking at Ballard to play wide receiver on the outside.
“They’re going to throw the ball up there and are looking for a big, fast receiver who can make plays,” Ballard said. “They liked watching my film and seeing I made big plays in big games.”
The playmaking wide receiver sounds like he’s set on one school, but said Missouri is lingering out there as a potential offer school that could make things interesting.
“The Illinois offer is still a valid one,” Ballard said. “Missouri is getting my ACT score together and they might be offering soon. But I’m still leaning more towards Iowa State, because I’ve made a good relationship with the coaching staff.”
