Iowa State gets football commitment from Southeast Polk's versatile Abu Sama

For Matt Campbell and his Iowa State football program, the commitments just keep on coming.

The latest is Southeast Polk’s versatile Abu Sama, who announced his intention Saturday afternoon on social media.

“I will be continuing my academic, football and track journey at Iowa State,” Sama wrote on Twitter. “I am eager to build a legacy, trust the process, and to grow athletically and academically.”

Sama, a 2023 recruit, is expected to play cornerback for the Cyclones. For the state champion Rams last season, he had 20 solo tackles and, as a running back, rushed for 931 yards and 12 touchdowns.

More:Southeast Polk's Abu Sama already broke a nearly 40-year-old state track record. And he's not done yet.

In April, Sama broke the state’s career long-jump record with leap of 24-10, breaking the record held by Davenport Central’s Chris Walker since 1984.

That’s about the time the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder’s recruiting took off. Is his future in football or track? Or both?

“He has that burning fire. He just wants to be good,” Abu’s brother, Amara, told The Register’s Alyssa Hertel. “He wants to work hard. He doesn’t stop.”

During football last season, Sama got the call when Southeast Polk’s starting running back, Titus Christiansen, got injured.

“I love that he got the opportunity to step up because not many people get that,” Christiansen told Hertel. “It was really good for him to just get out there.”

Sama is the fourth Iowa State Class of 2023 commitment from the Des Moines area, joining Ankeny’s J.J. Kohl and Jamison Patton, and Urbandale’s Kai Black.

He’s the Cyclones’ 14th known commitment, and the news came a day after a commitment from Tashawn James, a safety from Oklahoma City.

Iowa State’s 2023 recruiting class is ranked 22nd nationally, by the 247sports website.

“As a high school student athlete, everyone dreams of being at the Division I level,” Sama wrote on Twitter. “Through countless hours of hard work and patience, I was blessed to receive offers to be a Division I student athlete. I am truly humbled and grateful for the opportunities that have been given to me.”

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.