Lee's return visit seals commitment
A defensive tackle from the Chicagoland area spent the entire summer trying to prove himself to Power-5 programs around the Midwest, and thanks to a big showing at an Iowa State camp last month he has finally found himself a home in Ames.
A little over one week after he received his first P5 offer from the Cyclones, LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy senior Isaiah Lee accepted it during a return trip to the campus.
“It feels so good to be wanted,” said Lee, who participated in camps at Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and a satellite camp with Wisconsin and Missouri.
“I’ve been out here playing my heart out all summer, doing what coaches tell me to do and killing their commits only for them to tell me that I just moved myself up the depth chart. It was time for me to make a decision and go where I’m wanted at a Power-5 school.”
After taking part in the Big Man Camp at ISU, Lee reported the offer but said he would take some more time before making a decision. He hoped to have more P5 offers to compare with the Cyclones’, but decided it was time to go with the program that believed in him first.
“I thought maybe this offer would make other schools not be so scared of me,” Lee said. “But me and my coach sat down and talked. I started thinking that I was all camped out. I always finished in the top group or at number one in every camp I went to. I didn’t have anything else to prove (to those schools). I showed that I’m a great competitor, can do my job and am great at it. I told Coach (Matt) Campbell I wanted to commit there, but I had to come down there first to make sure I was making the right decision.”
The 6-foot-2, 280-pound Lee dug deeper into the football program, as well as the academics during yesterday’s trip.
“Coach (Eli) Rasheed, Coach Campbell and Coach (Alex) Golesh all greeted me and I sat in a meeting. I saw what they did and it was so similar to what we did on Fridays before a game. We do visualization, leadership and talk about this and that. (Campbell) did the same thing; he sat down with his players and would put something on the wall. They would have to tell what it was that defined it.
“I also went around the campus and met with (an adviser) that works with the students. I didn’t have any questions because she answered all the questions for me. She told me everything and made me feel right at home. I’m involved in this program called Beyond Sports Foundation associated with EST, where they help these student-athletes be more than just athletes. They make sure we’re good in the classroom and all set. She said everything that Beyond Sports said to me when I got involved in the program.”
Lee also mixed in a visit with Campbell in his office to announce his future intentions.
“He was honest and telling me everything I needed to know,” Lee said. “He told me where I stand with them and how I benefit the program. I really liked seeing the renovations, players and the support system. Watching the practice, you could see fans coming up and talking to the players like they were one of their kids. It was just unbelievable.
“I gave him the news and he and Coach Rasheed were excited and Coach Campbell asked my mom if it was OK with her. Coach Golesh was excited. The whole coaching staff was excited. They were filled with joy and telling me I made the right decision. They told me they wanted me over a lot of kids and said I could make a big impact.”
In addition to I-State, Lee had G5 offers from Ball State, Central Michigan and Colorado State.
