Matt Campbell and Tom Manning wasted no time offering Creston (Iowa) offensive lineman Trevor Downing, extending a scholarship offer to the 2018 prospect just days after their arrival in Ames late last year.
When Downing visited campus in early April, he found out why.
“Just the physicality I guess,” Downing said of the message from Iowa State. “The offensive line coach [Manning] came up to me and said I was the most violent man he’s seen at my age level… Just on the field, he said.”
The reason for the quick offer was clear Saturday.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Downing camped at Iowa State’s Saturday Night Lights camp during the weekend and proved to be one of the top talents in town. He will undoubtedly remain one of the staff’s top 2018 priorities in the months ahead.
“It was awesome seeing [Manning] first hand coaching the action. [He said] that I did a good job and he’s told me certain things I need to work on to get better,” Downing said. “The coaching staff is awesome. They’re fantastic. They really take time to get to know you.”
Downing, who has now visited Iowa State multiple times since the offer came in early last December, has continued to get a better feel for the program and school.
During his April trip, Iowa State gave the soon-to-be junior a tour and he sat down with Campbell for upward of 45 minutes.
“It was awesome because we got to see all the practice facilities and not just that, but Coach Mitch Moore took me on a school campus visit. I want to major in Ag Business, so he took me to the farm part of Iowa State,” Downing said. “Coach Campbell said that’s probably the biggest half of deciding what school to pick, the academic side of it. Iowa State has the best ag program in the country, so that’s a big part.”
Iowa State remains Downing’s lone offer at the early stage of his recruitment and continued to be the primary school showing interest. He camped at Iowa on Sunday and both Kansas State and Kansas have previously expressed interest in getting him to camp this summer.
When all is said and done, Downing is likely to be one of the state’s top 2018 prospects and will continue to be a priority for the staff. He’ll play right tackle for Creston this fall but could also move to the interior at the next level.
For now, his early interactions, while sparse due to NCAA rules that limit communication with 2018 prospects, have him impressed with Iowa State.
“It kind of showed me that I was a big priority for those guys,” Downing said of his meeting with Campbell in April. “They’re an awesome college. The coaches take the time to talk to you actually and pull you aside. Talking to Coach Campbell for about 45 minutes, that was awesome. I’d say Iowa State is a great college.”