by Bill Seals
Iowa State extended an offer to an Oklahoma prep linebacker in the 2021 class back in May and hopes to get the prospect on campus during the fall.
Edmond Santa Fe rising junior Collin Oliver said the Cyclones extended an offer after an assistant coach evaluated him in practice. The linebacker has since learned more about a program he says ranks high on his list.
“It all started during spring ball after I got my first offer from Oklahoma State,” said Oliver. “Iowa State came through two days after that. Coach Joel Gordon called me and said they were interested in me, and they offered the morning of May 17th. I was really excited, along with the fact it was from Iowa State.
“Since then, I’ve been able to learn more about the coaches and build a good relationship with Coach Gordon and a bunch of other defensive coaches they have. I’ve learned more about the program and it seems like a great school for kids to go. Ames, Iowa, is not too far from Oklahoma, so the pipeline is really good.”
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Oliver has gone on to add Power-5 offers from Nebraska and Texas Tech. As a sophomore starting on the varsity squad, Oliver tallied 56 tackles, including six tackles-for-loss, one interception and one fumble recovery.
Oliver said the Cyclones have sold him on the upside of joining a unit that’s perennially one of the best in the Big 12.
“It’s a good defense to be in, especially in the Big 12 which is an extremely pass-first conference,” he said. “Iowa State really does their job to help protect against the threat of that happening. Their linebackers have to be very versatile and they have a lot of different packages they could use me in.
“They say I’m really aggressive and play with a passion. They like the position they’re recruiting me for, which is linebacker. Which spot at linebacker can be figured out later. As of right now, they like who I am as a person, what I do in the classroom and on the field.
Other than attending summer camps at nearby Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Oliver said it’s been a quiet summer for him on the recruiting front. He said he looks forward to ramping that up in the coming months and potentially traveling to Ames in the fall.
“I’ve just been with my family the first part of the summer,” he said. “I haven’t been big on contacting right now, but sooner or later I’ll be able to be in touch with those coaches and build better relationships.
“Iowa State tried to get me up there for a camp, but that was the week we were going on vacation as a family and were busy that week. I talked to (Gordon) on the phone and we discussed me coming up to Iowa State and looking at some of their games and the campus. They’re definitely still one of my top schools that I might be attending.”
Iowa State extended an offer to an Oklahoma prep linebacker in the 2021 class back in May and hopes to get the prospect on campus during the fall.
Edmond Santa Fe rising junior Collin Oliver said the Cyclones extended an offer after an assistant coach evaluated him in practice. The linebacker has since learned more about a program he says ranks high on his list.
“It all started during spring ball after I got my first offer from Oklahoma State,” said Oliver. “Iowa State came through two days after that. Coach Joel Gordon called me and said they were interested in me, and they offered the morning of May 17th. I was really excited, along with the fact it was from Iowa State.
“Since then, I’ve been able to learn more about the coaches and build a good relationship with Coach Gordon and a bunch of other defensive coaches they have. I’ve learned more about the program and it seems like a great school for kids to go. Ames, Iowa, is not too far from Oklahoma, so the pipeline is really good.”
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Oliver has gone on to add Power-5 offers from Nebraska and Texas Tech. As a sophomore starting on the varsity squad, Oliver tallied 56 tackles, including six tackles-for-loss, one interception and one fumble recovery.
Oliver said the Cyclones have sold him on the upside of joining a unit that’s perennially one of the best in the Big 12.
“It’s a good defense to be in, especially in the Big 12 which is an extremely pass-first conference,” he said. “Iowa State really does their job to help protect against the threat of that happening. Their linebackers have to be very versatile and they have a lot of different packages they could use me in.
“They say I’m really aggressive and play with a passion. They like the position they’re recruiting me for, which is linebacker. Which spot at linebacker can be figured out later. As of right now, they like who I am as a person, what I do in the classroom and on the field.
Other than attending summer camps at nearby Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Oliver said it’s been a quiet summer for him on the recruiting front. He said he looks forward to ramping that up in the coming months and potentially traveling to Ames in the fall.
“I’ve just been with my family the first part of the summer,” he said. “I haven’t been big on contacting right now, but sooner or later I’ll be able to be in touch with those coaches and build better relationships.
“Iowa State tried to get me up there for a camp, but that was the week we were going on vacation as a family and were busy that week. I talked to (Gordon) on the phone and we discussed me coming up to Iowa State and looking at some of their games and the campus. They’re definitely still one of my top schools that I might be attending.”
