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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking, grading every Big 12 football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 1, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; against the Iowa State Cyclones new head football coach Matt Campbell address the fans at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; against the Iowa State Cyclones new head football coach Matt Campbell address the fans at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /

New Iowa State Matt Campbell pulled off an impressive feat by securing a 29-player signing class in roughly two months on the job. Ranked No. 52 in the nation, the Cyclones landed their most talented class on paper since 2006. Also, no non-service academy program in the country brought in more players overall.

Needless to say, Iowa State is already headed in the right direction.

Instant Impact Performer: WR Deshaunte Jones

One of Campbell’s top off-season priorities is to rebuild an offensive line that lost four starters from 2015. A second was to upgrade the playmaking ability of the offense. While the Cyclones added five offensive linemen, including JUCO transfer Karson Green and three-star tackle Sean Foster, both of whom are likely to play early, the most exciting member of the class is Deshaunte Jones.

An Ohio native, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound athlete had interest from the in-state Buckeyes and received more than a dozen offers from quality programs like Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Louisville, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Jones was ranked No. 45 in the country among athletes and considered a top-25 prospect in the state. He scored 38 total touchdowns as a senior at Colerain High School.

In addition to Jones, 6-foot-6 tight end Chase Allen is likely to have an impact as a freshman. A late-bloomer in high school, Allen received offers from Michigan, Florida State and Nebraska, among others, before signing with the Cyclones.

Underrated Signee: ATH Lawrence White

Defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike is an under-the-radar prospect that the coaching staff loves, but a true diamond in the rough could be athlete Lawrence White, who signed with the Cyclones out of Bakersfield, Calif. A 6-foot, 170-pound athlete ranked No. 122 overall in the state, White received only five FBS offers, and only two from Power Five schools: Iowa State and Washington State.

Primarily a quarterback in high school, White saw time at wide receiver and could also play defensive back for the Cyclones. He’s not a burner, but has speed in the 4.6-second range, and could develop as a contributor.

Complete 2016 Iowa State Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: This class gets a C-plus grade because it ranks in the middle of the pack nationally and in the bottom third of the Big 12, but the Cyclones did a lot of really good things in a short period after hiring Campbell. The JUCO transfers add some needed experience, but the large amount of high school signees are a nice sign that Iowa State can build a solid foundation in Ames.

Next: Oklahoma State

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