by Bill Seals
In the new offense that’s been installed by offensive coordinator Tom Manning and head coach Matt Campbell, versatile tight ends will be at a premium and one of the top 2017 prospects on the staff’s board is an Oklahoma junior that fits the profile.
Jenks standout Reese Leitao said he’s building a solid relationship with Iowa State coaches and expects to be in Ames shortly for an unofficial visit.
“On a weekly basis, I talk to Coach (Alex) Golesh and I actually talked to Coach Campbell Tuesday night,” said Leitao, who also has Power-5 offers from Duke, Illinois, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Purdue.
“We have good relationships right now. I won’t be able to make the spring game, but we’ve been talking a whole lot about me coming up to visit and we’re trying to make some plans as best we can. They want me to come up for a weekend and just hang around the guys and team a lot to see the culture of it. I know they’re a good academic school and that sticks with me. I can’t wait to go up there.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Leitao said he likes what he’s heard about the system in place and feels he would be a good fit.
“I know in their offense they use my position very well,” he said. “They like how I can be physical on the line of scrimmage. Not as many tight ends nowadays are able to do that. They said I can bring some versatility to the offense, in going out and being matched up with some linebackers and making plays on third down.”
With so many other P5 schools to compete with, ISU is selling its recent results on the recruiting trail as a sign that the program is on an uptick and that Leitao can be a part of that future success.
“(Campbell) said the 2016 and 2017 classes are supposed to be very strong and they’re on the way up in the Big 12 and national level,” Leitao said. “With the recruiting class they built in 2016, they really showed something and signed a really good tight end. As far as my position group, it will be very strong along with the rest of the team. With the recruits they’re getting now and how they’re changing some of their systems, they should be in a progressive direction and want me to be a part of it.”
Always a top program in the state of Oklahoma, Jenks has already produced one current Cyclone in wide receiver Carson Epps.
“We’re really good family friends and I got to know him a little bit,” Leitao said. “He is a real hard worker and was a very good role model for me when I was a sophomore. He has a younger brother that I’m very good friends with.”
Next up for Leitao, he says, is seeing the ISU coaches during the spring evaluation period.
“I know some coaches came last year to see me and other guys on my team,” he said. “We haven’t started spring practice yet, but they will definitely be around Jenks when it gets started.”
In the new offense that’s been installed by offensive coordinator Tom Manning and head coach Matt Campbell, versatile tight ends will be at a premium and one of the top 2017 prospects on the staff’s board is an Oklahoma junior that fits the profile.
Jenks standout Reese Leitao said he’s building a solid relationship with Iowa State coaches and expects to be in Ames shortly for an unofficial visit.
“On a weekly basis, I talk to Coach (Alex) Golesh and I actually talked to Coach Campbell Tuesday night,” said Leitao, who also has Power-5 offers from Duke, Illinois, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Purdue.
“We have good relationships right now. I won’t be able to make the spring game, but we’ve been talking a whole lot about me coming up to visit and we’re trying to make some plans as best we can. They want me to come up for a weekend and just hang around the guys and team a lot to see the culture of it. I know they’re a good academic school and that sticks with me. I can’t wait to go up there.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Leitao said he likes what he’s heard about the system in place and feels he would be a good fit.
“I know in their offense they use my position very well,” he said. “They like how I can be physical on the line of scrimmage. Not as many tight ends nowadays are able to do that. They said I can bring some versatility to the offense, in going out and being matched up with some linebackers and making plays on third down.”
With so many other P5 schools to compete with, ISU is selling its recent results on the recruiting trail as a sign that the program is on an uptick and that Leitao can be a part of that future success.
“(Campbell) said the 2016 and 2017 classes are supposed to be very strong and they’re on the way up in the Big 12 and national level,” Leitao said. “With the recruiting class they built in 2016, they really showed something and signed a really good tight end. As far as my position group, it will be very strong along with the rest of the team. With the recruits they’re getting now and how they’re changing some of their systems, they should be in a progressive direction and want me to be a part of it.”
Always a top program in the state of Oklahoma, Jenks has already produced one current Cyclone in wide receiver Carson Epps.
“We’re really good family friends and I got to know him a little bit,” Leitao said. “He is a real hard worker and was a very good role model for me when I was a sophomore. He has a younger brother that I’m very good friends with.”
Next up for Leitao, he says, is seeing the ISU coaches during the spring evaluation period.
“I know some coaches came last year to see me and other guys on my team,” he said. “We haven’t started spring practice yet, but they will definitely be around Jenks when it gets started.”
