This weekend the Cyclone football team will host Northern Iowa. That’s a big deal, but it’s probably not the biggest thing going on this weekend when it comes to ISU athletics.

Why? The ISU men’s basketball team is hosting three big-time recruits this weekend, and it could potentially be a gold mine for coach Greg McDermott. In my last column, I got you up to date on the prime targets for the class of 2007; now it’s crunch time.

Headlining this week’s visitors will be top-20 forward Craig Brackins. He’s already committed to Iowa State, but it’s key that he’ll be making the trip. Why? Hopefully for Iowa State, Brackins will be able to influence his Brewster Academy teammate Andre McFarland, who’s also coming this weekend, to commit as well.

“Hopefully they [McFarland and P’Allen Stinnett, who visits in October] get a good feel for Iowa State and want to come with me,” Brackins told CycloneNation.com last week. “I loved playing AAU with them – it was great. If we all go to the same school, it will be even better.”

McFarland recently took an official visit to Idaho, his other school of choice. McFarland’s AAU coach Anthony Brown said the trip went well, but McFarland wants to see Ames before making a decision. My gut tells me it’s 50-50 as to where McFarland will end up.

Iowa State’s third guest of honor this weekend will be Kenton Walker from San Diego. Walker is fresh off two official visits to San Diego State and Creighton. Luckily for Iowa State, he’s visiting Iowa State last, so his visit to Ames will be freshest in his mind.

All three schools have advantages for Walker. San Diego State is close to his home. Walker’s best friend just committed to Creighton and Brackins is a huge factor in his decision about Iowa State. Walker used to play on the same AAU team as Brackins, and he’s always looked at him as a mentor. Walker also has a great relationship with the ISU coaching staff.

It is noteworthy that the other member of the Brewster trio, P’Allen Stinnett, rescheduled his visit to Oct. 21.

When it all comes down to it, Craig Brackins might be the key to the basketball team’s future, in more ways than one.

If you, the students, want to make a difference, making these guys feel welcome Saturday wouldn’t hurt.

“We attended a football game and everybody from the whole town pretty much knew who we were already. It was nice,” Stinnett told CycloneNation.com after his visit to Idaho.

Although Brackins has been doing some recruiting for the basketball team, the football team has a student recruiter for itself as well in Omaha North’s Phillip Bates. Bates, Iowa State’s first commitment in the class of 2007, is off to an incredible start in his senior season at Omaha North High School.

In four games, Bates has passed for 625 yards, 10 touchdowns and has ran for 285 yards. Along with those stats, Bates has led fifth-ranked North to a 3-1 record with the easiest part of their schedule looming in the weeks ahead.

Bates told me last week that he’d be in town visiting during the UNI and Nebraska games. It is noteworthy that Bates’ father used to play at Nebraska.

The football team has been busy recruiting other prospects as well. Iowa State recently picked up a commitment to the class of 2007 last Friday. Jamicah Bass, a 6-foot-10, 200-pound running back from El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., committed to Iowa State last week.

He chose the Cyclones over Arizona, North Carolina State and Oregon. Bass is a speedy back who could possibly compete for a starting job next season.

Chris Williams is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Clarinda. He is the publisher of CycloneNation.com. You can also hear Williams on 1430 KASI from 10 a.m. to noon every Sunday. You can also watch him every week on Mediacom’s “Cy-Hawk Talk: State of the Nations” and Wednesdays on the WHO Channel 13 sportscasts.