AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell has made incredible strides in recruiting since taking over the program three years ago.

His Cyclone classes have ranked among the best in school history, and his 2019 recruiting haul is on pace to be the best in the history of the program, as Campbell announced 20 players signed letters of intent in the early signing period today.

“When you look at this class, it’s a class that really fits the mold of the culture of our program,” Campbell said. “We got great leadership, young men with great character and families, and I think guys that really have been committed to us for an extended period of time. What I really appreciate about this group is that even before the season began they saw the vision of where this program was going and where it has the ability to go. All of these guys have big-time impact ability. We were able to touch on every position group. As you see us continue to build the program, it’s touching all those areas where you continue to allow great competition as well as building great depth within your program. This group certainly does that for us.”

ISU’s 2019 recruiting class is currently ranked 35th nationally, fourth in the Big 12 and has a composite rating of .854 by 247Sports, all totals which are on pace to set school marks.

Three players in this year’s class are four-star recruits by 247Sports in RB Jirehl Brock (Quincy, Ill.), RB Breece Hall (Wichita, Kan.) and DE Blake Peterson (Alcester, S.D.). Brock rushed for over 2,000 yards and was named Illinois’ Gatorade Player of the Year and Hall also eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier and is invited to the 2019 All-American Bowl.

Both Brock and Hall are top-10 running backs nationally by 247Sports.

Peterson is the top player out of South Dakota and the No. 290 player nationally according to 247Sports.

Campbell had three Iowans ink with the Cyclones today in WR Darien Porter (Bettendorf), OL Jake Remsburg (West Des Moines) and LB Coal Flansburg (Solon).

Porter is rated as the fifth-best player in Iowa and the No. 63 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports and Remsburg is a two-time Des Moines Register Elite Team All-State pick.

“You look at the programs they come from, and all three guys come from high school programs where their football coaches are great leaders and developers,” Campbell said about the Iowa signees. “These are guys that know how to win and what it takes to be successful. All three of them lived that during their high school careers. I think it was really huge for us to keep young men from this state that really understand the values of this fanbase and what we are building here. It is great for us to get three of the best in the state of Iowa to stay home.”

Campbell also announced that Hall, Peterson, QB Easton Dean (Altamont, Kan.) and OL Jarrod Hufford (Newark, Ohio) will be early enrollees and begin classes at Iowa State in the spring semester. All four will compete in spring practice.