It isn’t absolutely imperative that the Iowa State coaching staff find a running back for their 2017 recruiting class, but it would be nice to add one. The fact of the position not being a major need gives the coaches some flexibility to find the right running back.
The process of finding that right running back continued over the weekend when Douglasville, Ga., prospect Daetrich Harrington visited and camped in Ames.
The 6-foot, 180 pound, speedster has offers from 15 other schools, but his trip to Iowa State has moved them near the top of his list.
“Just how the coaches treated everybody and how they coach,” Harrington said about what stuck out to him on his visit. “It was a wonderful campus.”
The three-star prospect, according to 247, lists on his Twitter account that he ran for 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns during his junior season.
He’s impressive on film using good lateral movement to make defenders miss while also showing the ability to lower his shoulder and run someone over. There are multiple times when he uses his vision to bounce plays to a different hole or to the outside.
“A leader with good attitude, good characteristics,” Harrington said when asked to describe himself as a football player. “Plus, a good player on the field.”
He was able to get quite a bit of feedback from Iowa State running backs coach Lou Ayeni during the Saturday Night Lights camp. He spent several minutes working on footwork with Ayeni and was among a small group that caught passes off to the side during individual work.
“It went good,” Harrington said about the time with Ayeni. “I like how he coaches and the way he pushes me to my limits.”
Harrington singled out Western Kentucky, Marshall, Cincinnati and Appalachian State as the other schools near the top of his list.
He plans to make a decision sometime in late July or early August.
