Iowa State’s 2027 recruiting surge doubles its class size in one week

Iowa State’s football recruiting push for the class of 2027 accelerated sharply over a six-day stretch, with the program’s commitment total rising from seven to 14 between Saturday, May 30 and Saturday, June 6. The uptick, as reported in a weekly recruiting roundup, reflects a staff that was able to close multiple prospects in quick succession rather than spreading out additions over weeks. The most notable names in that window include Drew Aagesen, Joey Massey, Josh McCarthy and Blake Moser.

Ames landed one of its centerpiece defensive front targets in Drew Aagesen, a prospect from Goodrich, Michigan, who pledged on May 30. The report described him as a high-end athlete who produced on both sides of the ball in high school, with 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss on defense. It also notes he contributed on offense as well, working into a tight end role, and that Iowa State intends to develop him primarily as an offensive lineman. Aagesen is ranked as the No. 21 prospect in Michigan, and the Cyclones were portrayed as his first power-conference offer when it arrived in March, leading to a commitment over other major programs including Michigan State and Wisconsin.

Joey Massey represented another quick-hit addition, flipping his commitment from Central Michigan to Iowa State on June 5. Listed at 233 pounds, Massey is described as a versatile prospect who has played multiple roles in high school. The report attributes production on both sides of the ball to him, including 352 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a junior on offense, plus defensive numbers of 48 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and four sacks. For Iowa State, that kind of two-way profile matters because it increases a coaching staff’s options for how to deploy talent early, especially when roster spots and redshirt timelines are tight.

The Cyclones also added Josh McCarthy on June 5, an in-state-of-sorts builder from Farmington, Missouri, who accepted an offer after months of working toward a power-four opportunity. The weekly roundup highlighted his defensive profile first, citing 119 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as a junior. It also emphasized that he is capable on offense as a receiver, catching nine touchdown passes while totaling 507 receiving yards. That combination, if it translates, gives Iowa State a potential playmaking linebacker type who can become more than a traditional run-and-pass-force contributor in Big 12 games.

On June 6, Iowa State added Blake Moser as its latest commitment in the reported stretch. Moser is currently a quarterback at Lake Stevens, Washington, and the Cyclones plan to transition his speed to wide receiver. The report described him as having produced over 3,400 total yards and 55 combined touchdowns last season for his high school team. Position flexibility like that can be a differentiator in recruiting, but it also raises a key question for the next step of development: how quickly can the transition from QB to WR be coached and executed at the college level, where route timing, footwork and technique are faster and less forgiving.

The bigger picture is that Iowa State’s class of 2027 is no longer just accumulating names, it is building a more specific blend of profiles in a short time: front-line athleticism (Aagesen), two-way versatility (Massey), a linebacker with receiving threat (McCarthy), and a potential high-ceiling skill prospect (Moser). Still, commitments are not national letters of intent, and recruiting rosters remain fluid through the summer. The next thing to watch is whether these additions continue to stack beyond June 6, and whether Iowa State can keep prospects engaged through upcoming camps and official-visit waves while other programs, including in the Big 12, sharpen their own pitches.