Iowa State earned its fifth commitment of the 2023 recruiting class Tuesday by way of Ohio athlete Cam Smith.
The three-star commit made his decision after visiting the school on Monday.
“We went for pictures and the photoshoots and as I was putting the jerseys on, I was like, ‘Yeah this feels like home,'” Smith said. “After that, I got into a meeting with coach (Matt) Campbell and told him I was ready to commit.”
Smith, a 5-foot-11 185-pound athlete will play the safety position at Iowa State.
He picked the Cyclones over Kentucky, Toledo and seven other programs. Smith broke the news to Campbell and Iowa State safeties coach Deon Broomfield Monday evening.
“They were really excited,” Smith said. “At the time I was just going through it, but as the day went on, it really started to (set in). That’s what made (it set in) – the smile on their faces and the excitement in their eyes – that was the best feeling.”
Smith’s relationship with the former Iowa State standout athlete in Broomfield played a big part in his commitment.
Broomfield enters his second season as the safeties coach at Iowa State this year after spending time on staff with the Houston Texans of the NFL.
“I love the relationship that I’ve built with Coach Broomfield,” Smith said. “I feel like we’ve really built a relationship over the last couple of weeks just between me and him as men.”
Academics played a role in selling Smith on Iowa State as well.
“We went on a facility tour through the weight room and the entire facility. After that, we went to an academic meeting and that’s what kind of influenced my decision a lot,” Smith said. “Academics are as important to me as playing football is.”
With his commitment solidified, Smith will turn his focus to his upcoming year at Fitch High School.
There, he plans on playing two ways on the field as both a receiver and safety.
“It’s a big relief. It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The recruiting process can get long and stressful. Now that I’m locked in at a place that can help me prosper as a man, I can focus on my season.”
