By Bill Seals
A strong-side defensive end who would likely be moved inside in Ames says he could be just an official visit away from committing and signing with Iowa State in the 2019 class.
Franklin (Ga.) Heard County’s Zaylin Wood said the Cyclones have been keeping tabs on him for a while and said they are in good shape in the weeks leading up to the second and final signing period.
“I feel very good about them,” said Wood, who says he will be in Ames the weekend of January 18-20. “It’s basically just getting up to the school and seeing if I feel at home when I get there. I want to see if it’s a nice place for me.”
A three-star prospect with a 5.6 Rivals rating, Wood decommitted from Temple yesterday after having been in the fold for the Owls since the Fourth of July. To date, the Cyclones are his lone Power-5 offer, but he had several from the G5 ranks at the time of his decision.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Wood says he’s liked what he’s seen of the I-State program since he started being contacted by staffers Eli Rasheed and Derek Hoodjer.
“I watched all the games they’ve played and feel like I can play in their defense,” he said. “Most of the time they run a three-man front and sometimes a four-man front. I think I’m a fit and have the same skillset of the guys they have in their program. I like the way the whole defense plays; the whole defense plays hard and doesn’t give up.”
The Cyclones believe Wood could move to the interior of the defense and made an impact as early as 2019.
“They said they really want me to play defensive tackle, the three-technique, and want me to play real early,” he said. “They’re really happy to be recruiting me. They like my speed, how physical I am and my get-off the ball.”
Wood says Colorado, Middle Tennessee and Troy were three other programs that have been in touch since the December signing period.
A strong-side defensive end who would likely be moved inside in Ames says he could be just an official visit away from committing and signing with Iowa State in the 2019 class.
Franklin (Ga.) Heard County’s Zaylin Wood said the Cyclones have been keeping tabs on him for a while and said they are in good shape in the weeks leading up to the second and final signing period.
“I feel very good about them,” said Wood, who says he will be in Ames the weekend of January 18-20. “It’s basically just getting up to the school and seeing if I feel at home when I get there. I want to see if it’s a nice place for me.”
A three-star prospect with a 5.6 Rivals rating, Wood decommitted from Temple yesterday after having been in the fold for the Owls since the Fourth of July. To date, the Cyclones are his lone Power-5 offer, but he had several from the G5 ranks at the time of his decision.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Wood says he’s liked what he’s seen of the I-State program since he started being contacted by staffers Eli Rasheed and Derek Hoodjer.
“I watched all the games they’ve played and feel like I can play in their defense,” he said. “Most of the time they run a three-man front and sometimes a four-man front. I think I’m a fit and have the same skillset of the guys they have in their program. I like the way the whole defense plays; the whole defense plays hard and doesn’t give up.”
The Cyclones believe Wood could move to the interior of the defense and made an impact as early as 2019.
“They said they really want me to play defensive tackle, the three-technique, and want me to play real early,” he said. “They’re really happy to be recruiting me. They like my speed, how physical I am and my get-off the ball.”
Wood says Colorado, Middle Tennessee and Troy were three other programs that have been in touch since the December signing period.
