Iowa State's most important letter of intent wasn't faxed in on national signing day.

Quarterback Steele Jantz sent his in during the junior college signing period in December. And since then, Jantz has been in Ames preparing for spring practice where he hopes to be the answer to the biggest question surrounding the Cyclone program: Who will be the starting quarterback?

"The quarterback is a position where every single person competing for that position should feel like they are the guy," Jantz said. "I think that if you don't feel that then you are in the wrong position."

Quarterback Austen Arnaud has graduated, and a five-man competition will take place to replace him. The early favorites are Jerome Tiller, who has started three games in the last two seasons, and Jantz.

Even though he has experience, Tiller has yet to take command of the opening. That could allow Jantz, who threw for 3,075 yards and 23 touchdowns at City College of San Francisco, to come in and lead the Cyclone offense from day one.

The Cyclones could be one solid quarterback away from getting back to a bowl game after spending last bowl season at home. ISU has a deep stable of running backs, returns several receivers and brings the majority of its defense back.

If Jantz can play like he did at junior college, he could the quarterback ISU's been looking for.

"If he proves to be as quick of a study as he's been in the few conversations I've had with him about the offense and trying to talk a little bit about it with him and translating the success that he had last year at the junior college level I think he can thrive," offensive coordinator Tom Herman said.

TOP OF THE CLASS

--RB DeVondrick Nealy (Jefferson County High, Monticello, Fla.) -- Nealy, who rushed for 2,743 yards and scored 45 total touchdowns this past season, is ISU's highest rated recruit, according to Rivals.com. The three-star prospect could see playing time right away in a deep running back corps, and his high school coach compares him to Tennessee Titans star Chris Johnson.

--QB Steele Jantz (City College of San Francisco, San Francisco) -- Jantz, who enrolled at ISU for the spring semester, could be the quarterback ISU needs to replace Austen Arnaud. He makes plays with his feet as well as with his arm and will enter spring practice battling Jerome Tiller for the starting spot.

--S Jared Brackens (North Mesquite High, Mesquite, Texas) -- Brackens is a hard hitting safety who could find himself on the depth chart this fall as the Cyclones must replace both starting safeties. Brackens is a three-star Rivals.com prospect who runs a 4.5 yard 40-yard dash.

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