Football

RECRUITING: Cyclones land commitment from 2020 kicker

Iowa State has landed another piece for its 2020 football recruiting class.

Tipp City, Ohio kicker Ben Sauls announced Wednesday night he has committed to Matt Campbell’s program. He is expected to officially sign with the program next month when the second college football signing period opens.

Sauls, who originally committed to Boston College, is rated as the No. 11 kicker in the country by 247Sports. The 5-foot-10 two-star recruit will also be Iowa State’s second scholarship kicker, joining incumbent starter Connor Assalley, who was elevated to scholarship status after the 2019 season.

Assalley has connected on 31-of-42 field goals during his two years as the program’s primary placekicker and made 49-of-51 extra points this past season as a junior.

It seemed likely Iowa State would add another kicker to its roster during the offseason after the departure of sophomore Brayden Narveson, who emerged as the program’s long-distance kicker roughly halfway through the 2019 season, but failed to carve out much more of a role.

Sauls is the 22nd commit in Iowa State’s 2020 recruiting class that rates as one of the top-45 classes in the country.

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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