When finishing out the 2023 recruiting class, Iowa State Football landed prospects that portray the “five-star culture” of the program. 

The out-of-state prospects peaked Iowa State’s interests as the team looked toward the future of the program.

Tashawn James 

James is a safety from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He displayed his versatility on the field during his time at Carl Albert High School.

James has a history of playing basketball and track and field during his high school career. James ran a personal-best time of 11.96 seconds in the 100 meters and reached a distance of 19-9.25 and 19-4.75 in the long jump. 

Without a doubt, he has the speed, explosiveness and discipline to play more than one position for the Cyclones as he demonstrated his ability to dominate several events in track and field. He also displayed his athleticism in basketball and his ability as a receiver on the field. 

All these qualities make James a promising asset for the Cyclones as a safety and portray a strong work ethic and drive towards the standards of the Iowa State football program. 

James is ranked as the No. 14 player in Oklahoma, according to 247Sports. Having several offers from Northern Iowa and Tulsa, James committed to Iowa State with a scholarship offer to join the class of 2023.

Cam Smith 

Smith demonstrated his versatility and strength in many positions in his time at Fitch High School in Ohio. Listed as an athlete, Smith has a variety of skills that will help him throughout his collegiate career.

Smith will come to Iowa State in 2023 as a defensive back. Committing to Iowa State with a scholarship offer highlights his potential as he is a top-50 player in Ohio and just outside the top-100 players in the athlete position. 

Smith held a variety of options for schools including Central Michigan, Kentucky and Illinois State, but Iowa State won him over in the end. In total, Smith received eight offers from division one schools.

Samuel Same

One of the final players in Iowa State’s 2023 recruiting class is Same from Derby, Kansas. The 6-foot-5, 215 pound edge from Derby High School has the size to make him a threat on defense.

Same is a three-star player that is currently standing as the No. 13 player in Kansas and just outside the top-100 edges in the nation. With a record of excelling as an edge, Same has 37 tackles with 23 of those being solo takedowns according to MaxPreps. 

Same had a vast range of offers that included Oregon State, Houston, Illinois and Kansas State. However, a little over a week after his official visit to Iowa State, Same announced his commitment to the Cyclones on Twitter.