Spring game leads three-star ILB to commit

Katy, Texas, inside linebacker Breydon Boyd wasn’t exactly expecting the sight he saw on Saturday afternoon when he walked into Jack Trice Stadium.

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell had told him about the undying support the Cyclones received from fans during his first visit to Ames in February. That warning didn’t keep the three-star prospect from being surprised when he saw 15,000-plus fans packed into the Jack in mid-April. The surprise was a good one, so good in fact that Boyd made the decision to commit to Iowa State, becoming the Cyclones’ eighth commit, and three-star, in the class of 2017.

“I didn’t expect it for a spring game,” Boyd said during a phone interview with Cyclone Fanatic after he got home from his visit on Sunday. “Actually, I’d never been to a college spring game before so that was pretty cool. It’s like my hometown Katy. It’s all football.”

The 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound prospect is the third new commitment for the Cyclones this week joining Michigan cornerback Richard Bowens III and Illinois offensive tackle Tyler Jost. Iowa State has also gotten commitments on three Saturdays in a row after Ohio offensive lineman Jeff Nogaj and Ames offensive tackle Colin Newell committed the past two weeks.

The Cyclones have also gotten six commitments since the last week of March. 

“He gave me a big hug and said ‘welcome to the family,” Boyd said about the moment when he told Campbell he wanted to commit. “He just said he’s looking forward to the journey that we’re about to spend together.”

Boyd is rated as the 53rd-best linebacker in the county according to 247 and the No. 158 prospect in Texas. Scout has him as the No. 5 inside linebacker in the Midland, No. 19 nationally and No. 4 in Texas.

He has only one other power five offer coming from Boston College but boasts offers from 10 other schools including Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii and New Mexico.

“The coaches, the atmosphere,” Boyd said when explaining what set ISU apart. “I’d get to come in and potentially compete for a starting position which is pretty cool. My family loved it. I loved it so I just did it.”