Here is what Iowa State and Matt Campbell are getting in tight end commit Cooper Alexander

Cooper Alexander knows how to flip a switch.

In a team meeting, the Washington Senior (Oklahoma) tight end won’t say a word in front of the group. Head coach Brad Bellers described his star senior as a meek, humble old soul, which are all admirable attributes…off the football field.

“How is that going to translate to football?” Bellers told the Des Moines Register.

It didn’t take long for Bellers to understand that Alexander could turn off the nice and turn on the nasty when he put on the pads.

“The first impression I had of him, last year when we were playing Vian, he drove a kid from the top of the numbers all the way out of bounds and past the sidelines,” Bellers said.

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“So, I knew right then and there that this mild-mannered kid was a very aggressive football player, and he was definitely worthy of having that hype that he had around him.”

That hype, of course, follows Alexander as one of the top-800 recruits nationwide in the 2024 class.

That hype – with a heavy dose of natural talent and hard work – landed him a dozen Division I offers, including one from one of Oklahoma’s Big 12 rivals: Iowa State.

A look at Iowa State football’s top senior recruit, and his NFL lineage

Alexander’s life revolved around football long before he put on the pads.

His father, Stephen, played college football at Oklahoma from 1994-97 and converted his collegiate success to a 10-year career in the NFL as a tight end. His time with Washington, San Diego, Detroit and Denver was highlighted by a Pro Bowl appearance in 2000.

So, it comes as no surprise that his son ended up on college radars.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end is the highest-rated recruit in Matt Campbell’s 2024 class. A three-star prospect, Alexander chose the Cyclones over offers from Colorado, Duke, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Texas A&M, Tulsa, UNLV, Vanderbilt and Washington State.

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The Oklahoma native had every reason to pick the Sooners and follow in his father’s footsteps.

Instead, he chose his own path and decided to take his talents to Iowa.

“There have been many great universities and coaches who have recruited me and I will be forever grateful for those opportunities,” Alexander posted on social media when he committed in June. “However, there is one place that has always stood out to me.

“The culture and leadership in this program (Iowa State) are what most impressed me and are the biggest reason for my commitment.”

Turning injury into opportunity

Alexander’s first season – his junior season – at Washington didn’t go as expected.

He entered the season with a foot issue; Bellers said Alexander didn’t complain, but that his father told the coaching staff he believed his son had rolled it.

In the third game of the year against Jones, Alexander recorded two touchdowns and five receptions, and there wasn’t even an inkling that something might be wrong. That night, though, an X-ray revealed that Alexander had a fracture in his foot.

Doctors put the junior in a boot and told him that if he wanted to get back out on the field, he’d have to prioritize taking care of his body. Alexander followed the doctor’s orders and used the time off to better learn his new team’s offense.

His injury was, in a way, a blessing in disguise.

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“He came back faster, stronger and better than ever,” Bellers said. “It was a true testament to what he does in preparation and how he takes care of his body.”

Alexander returned to the field that same season, just in time to help Washington to perfect record and a state title.

Toughest competition comes from a teammate

Competition breeds excellence, or so says the quote often attributed to basketball legend Michael Jordan.

For Alexander, his biggest competition may come from within the halls of Washington High School.

The Warriors’ roster boasts not one but two Division I recruits in the tight end position. Alexander’s teammate, Nate Roberts, is a four-star recruit and one of the top prospects in the 2025 class.

With two top-notch tight ends on the same team, there is bound to be a bit of a rivalry. And while others have pinned the two tight ends against each other, Bellers has seen nothing but sportsmanship from both athletes.

“Cooper was never once jealous of anything Nate received, and vice versa,” Bellers said. “But where they push themselves and where they continue to better themselves is in practice. They will go up against each other, one as a defensive end and one as a tight end, and make each other better.”

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Comparisons to Charlie Kolar and what Iowa State fans can expect from the incoming tight end

Bellers knows that Alexander is a skills and culture match for Iowa State.

“I have thought since day one that he was an Iowa State guy,” Bellers said. “Being in Big 12 country, we’re very aware of Iowa State and the type of offense they have under coach Campbell.”

Why is Alexander’s high school coach so sure that his tight end is a fit with the Cyclones?

Fellow Oklahoma native Charlie Kolar.

He compared Alexander’s skill set to that of Kolar’s, which he saw Iowa State utilize successfully from 2018-2021. Kolar's time at Iowa State helped put him in the NFL and he's currently entering his second season with the Baltimore Ravens. In Alexander, Campbell and the Cyclones are getting a tight end who will finish his blocks but is also fast enough to win one-on-ones against linebackers and defensive backs.

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Above all else, though, Iowa State is getting an athlete that Bellers says fits Iowa State’s culture.

“Cooper Alexander is a culture guy. If you told him, ‘We’re going to win and you’re going to have zero catches, or you can have 12 catches and we’re gonna lose,’ he would pick the win every time. "Coach Campell and his staff are getting a true Iowa State program guy.”

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What Iowa State football can expect from tight end Cooper Alexander