Who from the 2015 recruiting class will have the biggest impact this season?

[SlabHawk]

Ryan Boyle QB West Des Moines, IA 6'1" 215 5.5 3/26/14
Drew Cook ATH Iowa City, IA 6'5" 218 5.5 2/27/14
James Daniels OL Warren, OH 6'4" 275 5.8 7/31/14
Adrian Falconer WR Leesburg, FL 6'1" 185 5.4 7/31/14
Angelo Garbutt LB Carrollton, TX 6'2" 210 5.5 2/3/15
Eric Graham RB Prattville, AL 5'10" 200 5.3 2/4/15
Jack Hockaday ATH Maroa, IL 6'0" 205 5.5 3/29/14
Garret Jansen DT Pella, IA 6'1" 250 5.2 1/31/15
Justin Jinning LB The Colony, TX 6'1" 210 5.4 6/23/14
Anthony Nelson DE Waukee, IA 6'6" 210 5.6 1/5/15
Jacob Newborg DT Inwood, IA 6'3" 271 5.6 8/31/13
Emmanuel Ogwo WR Mesquite, TX 6'0" 175 5.5 7/30/14
Michael Ojemudia LB Farmington Hills, MI 6'2" 190 5.3 1/28/15
Landan Paulsen OL Moville, IA 6'6" 285 5.6 3/2/14
Levi Paulsen OL Moville, IA 6'6" 275 5.6 3/2/14
Brady Reiff DE Parkston, SD 6'4" 215 5.4 4/24/14
Michael Slater DE Chesterfield, MO 6'3" 265 5.5 10/15/14
Jerminic Smith WR Garland, TX 6'1" 175 5.6 11/3/14
Nate Vejvoda TE New Lenox, IL 6'5" 215 5.5 7/26/14
Brett Waechter OL Hartley, IA 6'5" 265 5.5 6/11/14
Nick Wilson ATH West Des Moines, IA 6'2" 205 5.2 2/1/15

Daniels, Falconer, Smith obviously since they played already this year. Hockaday and Wilson on Special teams and 2 deeps? Need some more wide receivers to step up. Anyone hearing any other good things individually out of the redshirts from last fall/bowl prep etc?

 

[thomasmulligan]

Very rare for true freshmen to contribute. 3 reasons:
1) Usually need to be doylized.
2) Usually have guys in front of them who are not easy to beat out
3) Getting to know the playbook takes time

Willies had tons of natural talent. Saw the field very little.

 

[Trevor4Iowa]

Very rare for true freshmen to contribute. 3 reasons:
1) Usually need to be doylized.
2) Usually have guys in front of them who are not easy to beat out
3) Getting to know the playbook takes time

Willies had tons of natural talent. Saw the field very little.

All of those players the op listed are second year players.

 

[HawksFan16]

No inside info, but I could see Anthony Nelson getting some time at DE. We'll be pretty thin there if Ott doesn't get another year.

 

[thomasmulligan]

All of those players the op listed are second year players.

Me=Dummy. Pile on friends. I'm gonna go get a CTE examination right now.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I thought some of those names looked a little familiar

 

[unoHawkeye]

Daniels will probably be a starter this year right?

 

[pocha444444]

I think Daniels and Jerminic Smith would be the obvious answers

 

[MWardT]

Of the guys that didn't play last year, I will say Slater and Ojemudia

 

[Vallholl]

Me=Dummy. Pile on friends. I'm gonna go get a CTE examination right now.

what if you did the same thing with the guys who signed today, in 2016?

 

[thomasmulligan]

what if you did the same thing with the guys who signed today, in 2016?

Yeah, I read 2016 in the header. My brain played a trick on me. Probably paying me back for the way I have abused it over the years.

 

[mazda1]

2016 answer
My guess would be a special teamer. Perhaps a DB who sees some limited action in a nickle package. RB is too deep for a freshman to shine IMO. DE would be nice, but normally they need a year of development. Hopefully AJ won't in 2017.

 

[fredjr82]

Me=Dummy

BAU

 

[icantfindausernamethatisntused]

Daniels will start, barring injury, so he is probably safest/easiest answer.

I thought I heard that Hockaday was pushing for playing time. Between him and Mends, I think we have a lot of talent ready to step up at the LB position.

We will need someone to step up at WR. As of now, Jerminic Smith is the most obvious candidate, with Falconer second. I've also heard that Ogwo has elite speed and agility, but seems to be in a similar position as Akrum Wadley where he needs to add some weight.

Outside of these players, I don't know that any will have much impact next year, which I view more as a product of us having a veteran team than a lack of talent from this group. It's a luxury not to need second-year players be major contributors.

 

[mazda1]

Yeah, I read 2016 in the header. My brain played a trick on me. Probably paying me back for the way I have abused it over the years.

Edit: I don't know how the "brain teaser" got attached. DON'T OPEN.

 

[nu2u]

Ojemudia is a safe bet

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

I'm going with Hockaday, I think the kid is a football player !

 

[madmax1191]

The buzz about Slater has been positive. Big reason for T. Harris to look elsewhere. Agree w Hockaday as well. Simply gotta have 2-3 of those receivers be productive or it will be a big problem for the pass game. Gotta find guys who can get open which was a huge problem last year. On a similar note Drew Cook to TE is going to be awesome for the passing game.

 

[MitchL]

Don't take his wrong, but when you don't have a stable of 4* players, you don't see many contributors unless there are significant injuries to the older guys. Obviously there are some notable exceptions at Iowa, but they are few and far between.

 

[Mitch122]

The buzz about Slater has been positive. Big reason for T. Harris to look elsewhere. Agree w Hockaday as well. Simply gotta have 2-3 of those receivers be productive or it will be a big problem for the pass game. Gotta find guys who can get open which was a huge problem last year. On a similar note Drew Cook to TE is going to be awesome for the passing game.

Is Harris transferring?

 

[MepoDawg#]

Very rare for true freshmen to contribute. 3 reasons:
1) Usually need to be doylized.
2) Usually have guys in front of them who are not easy to beat out
3) Getting to know the playbook takes time

Willies had tons of natural talent. Saw the field very little.

Can we all just stop bringing up Willies? That isn't on Ferentz.

 

[Curt Furence]

Is Harris transferring?

Yes, he left before the bowl game

 

[Curt Furence]

I'm going with Hockaday, I think the kid is a football player !

I didn't realize Jon Gruden was a HR poster, "This guy! This guy is a football player!"

I'm just messing with you

 

[David1979]

The buzz about Slater has been positive. Big reason for T. Harris to look elsewhere. Agree w Hockaday as well. Simply gotta have 2-3 of those receivers be productive or it will be a big problem for the pass game. Gotta find guys who can get open which was a huge problem last year. On a similar note Drew Cook to TE is going to be awesome for the passing game.

Cook hasn't moved to TE.

 

[David1979]

Daniels could potentially have the biggest impact bc they need a good center after losing Blythe. Very important position. Next I would say Smith and Falconer. Possibly Hockaday but I think Mends beats him out.

 

[madmax1191]

Not yet. He will.

 

[DutchyFunStar]

Maybe not an impact bot Waetcher makes the 2-deep