2020 football signing day: Meet Iowa State's expected signing class

AMES, Ia. — Iowa State's 2020 football recruiting class is nearly complete. 

The Cyclones are expected to add at least one player to its top-45 class on Wednesday. 

That's when kicker Ben Sauls, who committed to Iowa State in January, is expected to join the class by signing his letter of intent. 

The 2020 class already included 22 members who were unveiled back in December. 

Here's a look at the entire class. 

*Michal Antoine

CB: 5-11, 173, Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Antoine accumulated 92 total tackles, 22 pass deflections, three interceptions and one forced fumble over the last two seasons. During the 2019 season, he tallied 49 tackles, two interceptions and 12 passes defended. 

*Latrell Bankston

DT: 6-1, 299, Hutchinson Community College (Woodstock, Georgia)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Bankston was at the top of Iowa State’s recruiting board and for good reason. The junior college star tallied 50 total tackles and 11.5 sacks as a sophomore. He was named a first-team NJCAA All-American and the Defensive Player of the Year in the Jayhawk Conference. 

*Aidan Bitter

WR: 6-3, 175, Steinbrenner (Lutz, Florida)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Bitter picked Iowa State over offers from Air Force, Troy, South Dakota and Cornell. During his senior season, he caught 54 passes for 807 yards and 13 touchdowns. Bitter is an all-state long jumper and high jumper.

*Aidan Bouman

QB: 6-5, 200, Buffalo Senior (Buffalo, Minnesota)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: The left-handed quarterback is the son of former NFL quarterback Todd Bouman. Aidan is a two-time all-state selection who passed for 9,578 yards during his career. 

*Hunter Dekkers

QB: 6-2, 223, West Sioux (Hawarden, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: Dekkers is the most prolific quarterback in Iowa high school football history, passing for 10,628 yards and running for 1,214 yards in his career. He capped off his career with a senior season that saw him throw for 3,640 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 62% of his passes. Dekkers' offers included Michigan State and Ohio State. UCLA also showed interest.

*Mason Chambers

S: 6-0, 190, Samuel Clemens (Schertz, Texas)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Chambers is a two-time all-state selection who is ranked the 49th-best safety nationally by ESPN. He reportedly drew interest from Army and Air Force, but committed to Iowa State in July.

*Dae'Shawn Davis

LB: 6-0, 225, Iowa Western (Cleveland, Ohio)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Davis was a top-150 athlete by 247Sports in the Class of 2019. He attended Iowa Western but redshirted his only season there. 

*Koby Hathcock

LS: 5-11, 200, Desert Ridge (Mesa, Arizona)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Kohl’s Kicking ranks Hathcock as a five-star recruit and the second-best long snapper in the nation, writing that he’s the “most athletic and explosive snapper in the country.”

*Xavier Hutchinson

WR: 6-3, 190, Blinn College (Brenham, Texas)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Hutchinson was rated the sixth-best junior college wide receiver nationally by JCGridiron. He had a big sophomore season, catching 47 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns. Hutchinson received offers from Texas Christian, Arizona State, Utah and Illinois before he committed to Iowa State.

*Daniel Jackson

WR: 6-1, 209, Steele (Cibolo, Texas)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Jackson tallied 88 catches for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior seasons. He was invited to play in the 2020 All-American Bowl. 

*D'Shayne James

WR: 6-2, 220, Perry (Gilbert, Arizona)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: James, who was high school teammates with Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, caught 45 passes for 1,086 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior. 

*Craig McDonald

S: 6-2, 190, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: McDonald was named the Defensive MVP of the Minnesota All-Star Game and is ranked as a top 60-safety nationally. He garnered plenty of interest with offers from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue.

*Tyler Miller

OT: 6-8, 274, Greene Country (Jefferson, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Miller is a member of The Des Moines Register’s 2019 All-Iowa Football Teams for Class 2A. He’s ranked the 50th-best tackle nationally by Rivals. 

*Jordyn Morgan

S: 6-0, 175, Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Morgan racked up 66 total tackles and grabbed four interceptions during the first eight games of his junior season. He held offers from Boston College, Nevada, Missouri and Cal, among others when he committed to Iowa State in July

*Hayden Pauls

OT: 6-4, 263, Emporia (Emporia, Kansas)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Pauls was a consensus first-team all-state selection as a senior and is ranked the 55th-best offensive tackle nationally by 247Sports. He held offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Kansas State, among others, when he committed.

*Cole Pedersen

LB: 6-3, 215, Central Decatur (Leon, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Pedersen committed to Iowa State back in July 2018. He's ranked the fourth-best player in the state by 247Sports. 

*Brady Petersen

OT: 6-5, 270, Ankeny Centennial (Ankeny, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Petersen was an honorable mention pick to The Des Moines Register’s 2019 All-Iowa Football Teams. He committed to Iowa State in June after generating interest from schools including Northern Illinois, Miami of Ohio and Northern Iowa.

*Sam Rengert

OT: 6-7, 285, Fairbanks (Milford Center, Ohio)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Rengert was a two-time all-state offensive lineman who was ranked the 30th-best player in Ohio by 247Sports.

Ben Sauls

K: 5-10, 175, Tippecanoe, (Tipp City, Ohio)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 2 stars

Quick facts: Sauls had previously committed to Boston College but reopened his recruiting in January and then committed to Iowa State. He's expected to sign this week with Iowa State. According to 247Sports, Sauls made five of six field goal attempts, connecting from distances of 49, 51 and 55 yards during his senior season. 

*J.R. Singleton

DT: 6-1, 301, Warren Township (Gurnee, Illinois)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Singleton had a huge senior season, racking up 43 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, earning first-team all-state honors. He's ranked the 56th-best defensive tackle nationally by 247Sports and was considering Louisville, Illinois and Cincinnati.

*Ar’Quel Smith

LB: 5-11, 200, Naples (Naples, Florida)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Smith tallied 85 total tackles, four sacks and one interception during his senior season. He was a two-time all-state selection and is considered one of the top high school players in southwest Florida. 

*Johnny Wilson

DE: 6-3, 250, Park Hill (Kansas City, Missouri)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Wilson, a two-time all-state selection, won the 2019 Buck Buchanan Award for the best defensive lineman/linebacker in the Kansas City metro. He finished his career with 250 tackles tackles, 63 tackles for loss and 23 sacks.

*Hunter Zenzen

LB: 6-3, 215, Barnesville Secondary (Barnesville, Minnesota)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Zenzen participated in the Minnesota All-Star Game and was named to the Minnesota Vikings All-State team. He held offers from North Dakota, North Dakota State and South Dakota when he committed to Iowa State in April.