by Bill Seals
Although they had already done enough to get the attention of a JUCO defensive back from Arizona, the Cyclones went above and beyond when head coach Matt Campbell got on board, says the Class of 2017 recruit.
Arizona Western’s Keisean Nixon said he’s had steady contact with the Cyclones since receiving his offer and that’s picked up throughout the spring evaluation period with Campbell’s interest.
“I talk to everybody on the coaching staff, really. I talk to the head coach and Coach (D.K.) McDonald pretty much every day,” said Nixon. “Coach (Alex) Golesh was in-school to see me last Tuesday and after that we talked for about two hours over the phone.
“I was already really interested in Iowa State, but when Coach Campbell starting hitting me up that’s when I really got interested. I like when head coaches talk to me, because that means they really want me. I feel like they’re the school that’s recruiting me the hardest right now.”
The 6-foot-0, 195-pound Nixon said he already has a nice connection to the program in ISU JUCO transfer D’Andre Payne, who figures to see the field plenty during his first year in Ames.
“They’re selling me on early playing time,” Nixon said. “They want me to play outside cornerback with my boy D’Andre Payne. We went to Arizona Western for one semester, but we hung out with each other a lot. He wants me to come in and play on other side of him and be a 1-2 punch. He said Ames, Iowa, is great.”
Nixon says the Cyclones see a lot of potential in him.
“I’m a physical, long corner with long arms and they really like that,” Nixon said. “I’m also stocky and am 202 pounds right now. I’m fast and can also play special teams. Kick return is my thing and I love doing that.”
Nixon, a true freshman who joined the Arizona Western program last fall out of Los Angeles (Calif.) Salesian High School, said he’s on track to graduate in December and would have three years to play two.
Given his distance from the ISU campus, Nixon said he likely won’t take any kind of trip until official visits start during the season. He does have one weekend in mind, however.
“I haven’t set any official visit yet, but if I take one to Iowa State it would be week four against San Jose State,” Nixon said.
In addition to the Cyclones, Nixon has Power-5 offers from California and Kansas State.
He doesn’t appear to be close to making a decision.
“I don’t really have a top school right now,” Nixon said. “Iowa State is one of the schools that’s recruiting me the hardest, so they’ve got a good look at it right now. It looks good between me and Iowa State.”
Although they had already done enough to get the attention of a JUCO defensive back from Arizona, the Cyclones went above and beyond when head coach Matt Campbell got on board, says the Class of 2017 recruit.
Arizona Western’s Keisean Nixon said he’s had steady contact with the Cyclones since receiving his offer and that’s picked up throughout the spring evaluation period with Campbell’s interest.
“I talk to everybody on the coaching staff, really. I talk to the head coach and Coach (D.K.) McDonald pretty much every day,” said Nixon. “Coach (Alex) Golesh was in-school to see me last Tuesday and after that we talked for about two hours over the phone.
“I was already really interested in Iowa State, but when Coach Campbell starting hitting me up that’s when I really got interested. I like when head coaches talk to me, because that means they really want me. I feel like they’re the school that’s recruiting me the hardest right now.”
The 6-foot-0, 195-pound Nixon said he already has a nice connection to the program in ISU JUCO transfer D’Andre Payne, who figures to see the field plenty during his first year in Ames.
“They’re selling me on early playing time,” Nixon said. “They want me to play outside cornerback with my boy D’Andre Payne. We went to Arizona Western for one semester, but we hung out with each other a lot. He wants me to come in and play on other side of him and be a 1-2 punch. He said Ames, Iowa, is great.”
Nixon says the Cyclones see a lot of potential in him.
“I’m a physical, long corner with long arms and they really like that,” Nixon said. “I’m also stocky and am 202 pounds right now. I’m fast and can also play special teams. Kick return is my thing and I love doing that.”
Nixon, a true freshman who joined the Arizona Western program last fall out of Los Angeles (Calif.) Salesian High School, said he’s on track to graduate in December and would have three years to play two.
Given his distance from the ISU campus, Nixon said he likely won’t take any kind of trip until official visits start during the season. He does have one weekend in mind, however.
“I haven’t set any official visit yet, but if I take one to Iowa State it would be week four against San Jose State,” Nixon said.
In addition to the Cyclones, Nixon has Power-5 offers from California and Kansas State.
He doesn’t appear to be close to making a decision.
“I don’t really have a top school right now,” Nixon said. “Iowa State is one of the schools that’s recruiting me the hardest, so they’ve got a good look at it right now. It looks good between me and Iowa State.”
