Phillips junior three-star ranked defensive back Joseph Thompson (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) decided to give Iowa State his early verbal commitment after making a recent on campus visit to Ames, Iowa.
"I know that Iowa State is where I want to be so I committed," according to Thompson. "I just didn't want to wait and waste my time and other coaches time so I decided to commit. I'm planning to also enroll early at Iowa State."
Thompson chose Iowa State after considering offers from the likes of Illinois, NIU, Western Michigan and Southern Miss.
Nazareth Academy freshman quarterback JJ McCarthy (6-foot-0, 174 pounds) who added his first FBS scholarship offer last summer when Iowa State extended a verbal scholarship offer made a second on campus visit recently to Iowa State and filled us in on his impressions.
"It was really good (at Iowa State)," McCarthy said. "I got to meet new QB coach (Joel Gordon) and he's awesome. Iowa State's coaching staff really stands out to me along with the overall family environment. Everyone knows everyone at Iowa State and everyone gets along. I love the way they communicate with the team and players. They also do one heck of a job recruiting."
So what has McCarthy been focusing in on this offseason?
"I've been focusing on developing the relationships with my teammates so they know I'm willing to run through a wall for them," he said. "I'm also focusing on getting bigger and stronger and working out five days a week. I'm up to 174 pounds now so it's been working. I've also been working in the film room, developing my mind as a quarterback for varsity football."
Crystal Lake South four-star ranked offensive tackle recruit Trevor Keegan (6-foot-6, 315 pounds) has been more focused on his baseball season so far this spring but Keegan is still paying attention to his football recruiting as well.
"I'm going to visit Notre Dame today (Thursday)," Keegan said. "I think this is the fourth or fifth time I've visited Notre Dame now. I've also been getting some new contact lately from both USC and UCLA."
Keegan, who has offers from multiple Power 5 programs from across the country this spring is also hoping to narrow down his list of favorite schools sometime soon.
"I don't have any top schools list yet," he said. "I'm gonna try to put together a Top 15 schools list sometime soon."
Oak Lawn Richards junior three-star ranked safety Sebastian Castro (6-foot-1, 198 pounds) has been looking harder at his offers and options while making spring campus visits.
"I'm definitely getting a bit more serious with everything," Castro said. "I'm starting to break things down and look harder at the academic side along with the football side on my visits."
Castro, who made a recent return visit to Iowa came away impressed with the Hawkeyes.
"I made a visit a few weeks ago to Iowa," he said. "I liked it a lot and I've been to Iowa three times so I pretty much know what to expect when I visit them. Iowa is just impressing me more and more. I can just see myself fitting into the culture."
Castro is also schedule to make a third visit to Minnesota this Saturday and hopes to get out to visit Iowa State later this spring.