by Bill Seals
A Minnesota prep sophomore attended an Iowa State camp last summer and later attended the West Virginia game on his own dime with a couple friends, so to say he was excited to get an offer from the staff last week would be an understatement.
Lakeville South lineman Riley Mahlman said he was visited at school by Cyclone staffer Colby Kratch, who extended him his sixth Power-5 offer.
“I went to a camp last summer, talked to the coaches a little bit and established some relationships,” said Mahlman. “Then they came in late last week and we had a talk. All of that led up to an offer. Coach Kratch said I looked bigger and stronger, that I had shown a lot of improvement since the camp. He said Iowa State is an up and coming program and had a good season. They’re hoping to find the right guys to shape the future and get even better.”
I-State joins a list of P5 offers that includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Northwestern. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound Mahlman said he believes a number of factors have gotten him the early interest from those schools.
“I thought I did a lot better getting bigger and stronger from my freshman year,” he said. “I was a little underweight and undermanned. This was a good season for us as a team and we went to the semifinals. For me, it was just becoming more physical. Our team mostly runs the ball, so I’ve gotten a lot better there.”
The lineman, who has been impressed with what he’s seen in Ames the past two trips, said he could envision another stop in Ames over the coming months.
“The facilities are really nice,” Mahlman said. “The coaches are nice and I like all of them. I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to them all that much and hope I can start talking to them more. My coach sent me a picture that had a list of all their Junior Days. I haven’t figured out if I can go to one and what date yet, but I’ve been invited back down.”
Although he’s listed in the Rivals database as an offensive tackle, Mahlman said he could factor in on the opposite side of the ball. That very would could be the thinking on head coach Matt Campbell’s staff.
It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the Cyclones to consider the move. By comparison, defensive end Matt Leo was listed at 6-foot-7 and 276 pounds this past season.
“The defensive line coach wanted me to work defensive line the day (of the camp), so that’s what I did most of the time,” he said. “I haven’t really heard from them on what side they’re looking at me to play. They want to see what position I grow in to.”
Months after his original trip to ISU for camp, Mahlman said he returned for the West Virginia game. It was an experience he hasn’t forgotten.
“I went with a couple friends, which was great,” he said. “I rushed the field with everyone else. I had to. You just have to go with the flow; everyone is doing it so you might as well. The whole atmosphere was awesomeand people were on their feet the whole time."
A Minnesota prep sophomore attended an Iowa State camp last summer and later attended the West Virginia game on his own dime with a couple friends, so to say he was excited to get an offer from the staff last week would be an understatement.
Lakeville South lineman Riley Mahlman said he was visited at school by Cyclone staffer Colby Kratch, who extended him his sixth Power-5 offer.
“I went to a camp last summer, talked to the coaches a little bit and established some relationships,” said Mahlman. “Then they came in late last week and we had a talk. All of that led up to an offer. Coach Kratch said I looked bigger and stronger, that I had shown a lot of improvement since the camp. He said Iowa State is an up and coming program and had a good season. They’re hoping to find the right guys to shape the future and get even better.”
I-State joins a list of P5 offers that includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Northwestern. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound Mahlman said he believes a number of factors have gotten him the early interest from those schools.
“I thought I did a lot better getting bigger and stronger from my freshman year,” he said. “I was a little underweight and undermanned. This was a good season for us as a team and we went to the semifinals. For me, it was just becoming more physical. Our team mostly runs the ball, so I’ve gotten a lot better there.”
The lineman, who has been impressed with what he’s seen in Ames the past two trips, said he could envision another stop in Ames over the coming months.
“The facilities are really nice,” Mahlman said. “The coaches are nice and I like all of them. I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to them all that much and hope I can start talking to them more. My coach sent me a picture that had a list of all their Junior Days. I haven’t figured out if I can go to one and what date yet, but I’ve been invited back down.”
Although he’s listed in the Rivals database as an offensive tackle, Mahlman said he could factor in on the opposite side of the ball. That very would could be the thinking on head coach Matt Campbell’s staff.
It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the Cyclones to consider the move. By comparison, defensive end Matt Leo was listed at 6-foot-7 and 276 pounds this past season.
“The defensive line coach wanted me to work defensive line the day (of the camp), so that’s what I did most of the time,” he said. “I haven’t really heard from them on what side they’re looking at me to play. They want to see what position I grow in to.”
Months after his original trip to ISU for camp, Mahlman said he returned for the West Virginia game. It was an experience he hasn’t forgotten.
“I went with a couple friends, which was great,” he said. “I rushed the field with everyone else. I had to. You just have to go with the flow; everyone is doing it so you might as well. The whole atmosphere was awesomeand people were on their feet the whole time."
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