RECRUITING: Cyclones jump off the page to grad transfer DB

On Sunday, Duke graduate transfer defensive back Evrett Edwards got his first chance to really sit down and compare his options. He had taken extensive notes on each of his visits to Iowa State, Troy, Utah State and Maryland before deciding where he’d play his last two years of college football.

How would he fit in the scheme? Did he feel comfortable? How could he help the program and how could the program help him?

After weighing those options the choice was simple. That’s why on Monday morning, Edwards called the Iowa State coaching staff and committed.

“Iowa State was the one that just jumped off the page and said I needed to make it happen,” Edwards said. “With summer school starting up really soon, made the call to coach this morning and pulled the trigger, now we’ve got the ball rolling.”

The 5-foot-11-inch, 190-pound, Woodbridge, Virginia, native projects as a safety in Jon Heacock’s defense after compiling 26 tackles and an interception in a backup role for the Blue Devils. He’ll slide into an Iowa State defensive backfield that figures to be pretty solid in 2016.

The cornerback position is in good shape with Brian Peavy, Jomal Wiltz, Nigel Tribune and a host of others. Kamari Cotton-Moya is a guarantee to start at one safety spot while the other is up for grabs.

The former three-star recruit held offers from Clemson, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Northwestern and a host of others after high school. He’s a good pickup for a team looking to solidify the back end of their defense.

“Big smiles and high fives all around,” Edwards said about his phone call with the coaching staff.  “They were excited to get me and now we’ve got the whole process with admissions going on. Just trying to figure everything out.”

Edwards will graduate from Duke on May 15 then will arrive in Ames for summer school.