Winton Woods Junior Lual Aleu Garners Early Power-4 Offers, Iowa State Among Suitors
Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods junior Lual Aleu, a 2027 offensive lineman, is drawing early scholarship offers from several Power-4 football programs. Iowa State, where his cousin Kuol Kuol plays the same position, is among the most recent schools to reach out.
The Cyclones‘ Assistant Athletics Director for Football Player Personnel Derek Hoodjer began recruiting Aleu roughly two weeks ago.
“I got out of a scrimmage and received a text from Hoodjer,” said Aleu, who is a three-star prospect with an 85-grade. “We exchanged numbers, and since then, we’ve been texting. After another practice, he asked to get on a call, and that’s when he offered me. Having a cousin there made it easier to connect. That’s a great thing for someone coming out of high school.”
The junior said he wants to get on campus for a visit in the coming months.
“We don’t have a bye week down here in Ohio, but I’m definitely looking to get down sooner than later,” Aleu said. “I want to get an in-person overview on the whole program, like from the staff and the head coach.”
With multiple Power-4 programs showing interest, a family tie on campus and direct conversations with Iowa State staff, Aleu has emerged as a standout prospect to watch in the 2027 class.
“I think coaches really like my versatility, quickness in the feet and hand placement,” he said.
In addition to the Cyclones, the 6-foot-3, 290-pound lineman has earned P4 offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Florida.
Although he likely won’t visit Ames until after the 2025 season, the Ohio native said he’s heard plenty about the program from Kuol, who signed last December and joined the program the following month.
“I really just got the perspective from a cousin playing over there and knowing what they expect,” Aleu said. “I think it’s a great program. I think they have they have a lot of grit in their program. The coaches are very straightforward and get to business and have a working type of mentality.”
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