Campos, Lazard are impact commitments

It was a very good three days for in-state recruiting for Iowa State. Very, very good.

On Saturday, the state's top 2013 prospect - West Des Moines Valley offensive lineman Jake Campos - made his final decision to commit to Iowa State after previously being committed to Missouri.

Then on Monday, the state's likely number one prospect in 2014 - Urbandale wide receiver Allen Lazard - followed Campos' lead and committed to the Cyclones.

While the timing of Campos' decision was expected as he needed to make a final call for ISU or Mizzou soon, the timing of Lazard's decision was equally unexpected. With the potential to blow up as a national recruit, Lazard was expected to wait and see just how high his stock would rise.

Instead, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound play maker cast his lot with Iowa State, following in the footsteps of both dad and brother. Kevin Lazard was a three-time letterwinner at defensive back for Iowa State (1990-91, 93) and Anthony Lazard is a true freshman linebacker this season for the Cyclones. But it was more than just family ties that swayed Lazard to commit to ISU.

Campos' decision two days prior was also influential as Lazard said Monday night. Seeing the state's number one prospect in this year's class decide to become a Cyclone removed whatever doubt Lazard still had about committing to ISU. It gave him the confidence to also make a decision that not enough top-ranked Iowa talents have made through the years.

The two monster in-state pickups are just a continuation of the strong November and December that Iowa State has had on the recruiting trail. The Cyclones also received commitments from a pair of Floridians with long offer lists in offensive lineman Shawn Curtis and linebacker Alton Meeks.

Late November also saw defensive lineman Rodney Coe finalize a commitment to Iowa State, a week or so before helping his Iowa Western team win a JUCO national championship. And earlier in the month, ISU got commitments from Florida defensive lineman Vernell Trent and Texas defensive back Jalen Barnes.

Looking ahead, the Campos and Lazard commitments are sure to have a positive impact on Iowa State's 2014 recruiting. That will be especially true in-state where targets like Jay Scheel of LaPorte City and Cedar Falls' Ross Pierschbacher now have a lot more to think about when it comes to ISU.

Peer recruiting has never been more prevalent than it is now and you can bet Lazard is going to do all he can to sell Iowa State to the Scheels and Pierschbachers of next year's in-state class. Sweeping the top talent in the state starts with getting number one, and that will likely be Lazard for 2014.

But no matter how they are ranked by what entity, that threesome is the elite tier of prospects among Iowa juniors as we know it today. Getting all three would represent a major recruiting coup for Iowa State.