Wade Helton’s phone continued to ring after he and his brother, Brent, announced their commitment to Iowa State as a packaged deal.
The twins announced their commitment to Iowa State in June, but have continued to receive interest from outside programs as the days have gone on.
“I guess not, yet, Ever since we committed, I always thought, ‘yeah, that’s it,” Helton said. “I’ve been having a lot of other coaches call me and I’m like trying my hardest not to be rude.”
Now Helton, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman is set to sign with the Cyclones alongside his twin brother on college football’s National Early Signing Day Wednesday, December 20.
The Corona, California prospect is one of four incoming offensive linemen to Iowa State’s program, and was impressed with the unit’s big moments, namely in games against Baylor, BYU and Kansas State.
“I thought that was awesome,” Helton said. “When you have big ones like that, especially early in the game, it really kills the defense’s morale. I think that showed the rest of those games. They were able to put them away pretty quick. And I think they’ve got a very good opportunity with the freshmen running back they have.
“Clanton is, I think, a huge part of that,” Helton said. “I think he’s a great coach. I think he’s going to instill – and has – (his philosophy) in Iowa State already.”
Helton joins an Iowa State team that saw freshmen account for 4,863 snaps in 2023, one of the top numbers in the country according to Pro Football Focus.
There’s plenty of time for Helton to write his story in Ames with the rest of the 2024 recruiting class, but his anticipation is right where Iowa State fans would like it to be.
“I’m really excited, really excited to be a part of the team, Helton said. “It’s a young team, so I think Iowa State will be great in the next couple of years. We might really have a chance to dominate – especially with the new playoffs – and have a chance to play for a national championship.”
