OL Lawrence details his commitment to Cyclones
An official visit to Iowa State one month ago left a lasting impression on a Missouri big man who decided to commit to the coaching staff Wednesday night.
St. Joseph Central senior offensive lineman Bobby Lawrence, who had been committed to FCS program Illinois State since August, said he spent the past few weeks evaluating the best option for him.
“When I had my official back in December, as soon as I got there it felt like a really good fit for me and match,” said Lawrence, who will be a grayshirt addition to the Cyclones’ class. “It took me a little bit because I wanted to do it the right way, leaving Illinois State like that. I didn’t want to leave any loose ends and be respectful for them. I felt like Iowa State was a good place for me and it felt like home. It was a pretty easy decision, honestly.”
A 6-foot-8, 300-pound tackle, Lawrence also collected offers from the likes of South Alabama, South Florida, Tulane and a slew of others in the FCS ranks. As a grayshirt, he will attend Iowa State this fall and pay his own way before going on scholarship in January of 2019.
He said the opportunity to compete at the highest level for a Big 12 school is what he aspired to.
“When I went to Iowa State, it was clear to me that it was the place I wanted to go,” he said. “I’m really excited. This is something I’ve always dreamed about growing up. Now to see it’s happening, I’m really excited and ready to get to work.
After making a lot of progress as a lineman over the past 12-18 months to put himself in position to play at I-State, Lawrence said he’s looking forward to being tutored by position coach Tom Manning.
“I’ve known him for a month or two and we’ve spoken a lot,” Lawrence said. “He’s a really great guy and great coach. I’m excited to get the chance to play for him. He’s really excited to work with me. He said that my growth from my junior season film to senior season film is crazy.
“They didn’t really know who I was until late October or early November. They said I came out of nowhere. Coach Manning doesn’t think I’ve even touched my potential yet, so he’s really excited to work with me through that.”
