It is really quiet on the recruiting front for football. No official visits on the horizon and things appear stuck. These four guys are the ones most actively pursued by Iowa. I'm starting to believe this may be our smallest class ever. We're at eight commits and last place in the Big Ten rankings. This class will be 13-15 total. Most of the top rated prospects in surrounding states have already been gobbled up. Things just aren't breaking the Hawk's way this year, but we already have some real gems in this class. Get ready, FB practice starts this upcoming week. 😎❤️🏈
Zwankpa, Hinzman, Patterson and Allen.
- Thread starter SuperSK
- Start date
Xaviare Zwankrow from NE Polk. Big time wide receiver.
Actually I could see less than that. Someone on another site was doing the math, and we only have 15 Seniors listed on the roster at this moment.
Ryan Gersonde, P (likely gone, not beating Taylor)
Matt Hankins, CB (used COVID year)
Caleb Shudak, K (has not used COVID year)
Henry Marchese, DB (has not used COVID year, but likely gone, buried on depth chart)
Charlie Jones, WR/PR (has not used COVID year)
Austin Spiewak, LS (has not used COVID year)
Max Cooper, WR (has not used COVID OR RS year, but likely gone)
Ivory Kelly-Martin, RB (incorrectly listed, as WILL use COVID year and be back in 2022)
Xavior Williams, DB (has not used COVID year)
Jack Koerner, S (has not used COVID year)
Riley Moss, CB (has not used COVID OR RS year)
Bryce Schulte, TE (has not used COVID year)
Kyler Schott, G (has not used COVID year)
Tommy Kujawa, TE (has not used COVID year)
Zach VanValkenburg, DE (has used both COVID and RS years)
So doing the math, that leaves 14 seniors, plus 1 scholarship that we're under the 85 limit right now. The guys in bold are guys that I've either heard could use their COVID year, or would make sense too. Moss is a name I've heard thrown around that will likely use it unless he just blows up on NFL boards. Williams would make sense as a starting CB spot opens in 2022. The specialists both make sense as Shudak would get 2 full years as a starter instead of one, and the NFL doesn't draft specialists unless they're locks, so both could benefit from an extra year.
Koerner isn't likely because this will be his 5th year and he'll likely be looking at a UDFA option at worst in the NFL. Schott I debated because of his size, but decided he'd probably go. Then there's the outside possibility that someone I didn't pick chooses to come back for school/personal reasons, but let's say they don't.
Then on top of all that add in the natural additions/subtractions through the transfer portal. Let's just say for now we break even here.
Even if only 2 of the 4 I picked decide to use their COVID options, that only leaves 13 open scholarships for the class of 2022.
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LaPorta is being mentioned as a top-50 or even first-round pick. Linderbaum will be gone. And we can always expect transfers, especially after fall camp when the depth chart is established. I expect one of the QBs to leave. At least one O lineman and 1-2 D linemen.
I talked about transfers, though KF has talked about how they'll be using the portal themselves much more often from now on. Unless Hogan jumps Padilla or Labas comes in and rockets up the depth chart, I don't see anyone leaving just yet. Hogan mentioned several times about how he was willing to be patient and wait for his time.
I need to see more from LaPorta before I label him gone. He'd need to have a Hockenson-like year to warrant leaving that early. And while I'm definitely not counting on it, TL bleeds black and gold, so I don't think it's totally unreasonable that he'd come back.
Fixed, thanks.I don't think Jones used his Covid year.
Charlie Jones
hawkeyesports.com
Though idk if he's a candidate, especially if Keagan Johnson and Arland Bruce live up to early reviews.
Sorry but you sound like a Clone fan. Only way TL comes back is if he doesn't project in the first three rounds but he will. I will believe the influx of talent via the portal when I see it. Iowa had averaged 22 per class under KF. They have taken less than 20 exactly once. Transfers are a fact of life at Iowa.
"While I'm definitely not counting on it." Pretty key phrase there.
Never said transfers weren't happening. But COVID years are gonna throw a wrench into everything.
Listen to what I'm actually saying. I'd be very surprised if we hit 20 this year.
I mean he’s selling his own apparel and one shirt design literally says “It’s a tough place to leave”.
Yeah it’s hard to believe a kid would pass up a chance to be a sure fire 1st rounder, which he could be, but if anyone would do it it’d probably be him.
Outstanding work Frosty. I believe, as I wrote earlier, that we finish with 13-15. 😎❤️🏈
Shudak, Spiewak, and Cooper are all using their COVID year this season. They won't be back in 2022.
Bryce Schulte and Tommy Kujawa aren't on scholarship.
Gotcha, math was off on the specialists.
I figured some weren't but I was mainly just thinking seniors. Thanks.
My guess is that the Hawks possibly go light on recruiting this year ... make sure that they get guys who they like who fill their "absolute needs" ... and then bank the scholarships for next year.
Circumstances and the difficulty in cultivating/maintaining relationships ... on top of dealing with all of the negative recruiting ... my guess is that we'll have a better shot recruiting in '23 and beyond.
I don't think that they'll fill scholarships just to have enough warm-bodies.
I do agree with grayhair that one of the core needs will be at defensive back. I think that Phil will make sure he gets a guy (or few) ... who he likes, who he thinks will fit his room.
Circumstances and the difficulty in cultivating/maintaining relationships ... on top of dealing with all of the negative recruiting ... my guess is that we'll have a better shot recruiting in '23 and beyond.
I don't think that they'll fill scholarships just to have enough warm-bodies.
I do agree with grayhair that one of the core needs will be at defensive back. I think that Phil will make sure he gets a guy (or few) ... who he likes, who he thinks will fit his room.
This.
Hawks will likely take two kids at corner. I have no idea who they will be and it is likely at least one of them will be a very late offer to someone most of us had never heard of. The kid from WL seems more likely as time goes on.
I think the 22 class will feature a lot more kids who rise to prominence their senior year. It is such a crapshoot when do many kids didn't play much or at all their junior year.
The 22' class will fill out like this IMO. 1-RB, 2-DB, 1-DL, 1-OL, and 1-WR. With the current 8 commits and this group of 7 spots to fill, that gets us to an overall class of 15 commits. Kirk's smallest group ever will still have high quality commits but probably finish last in the conference because of the low number of total commits. 😎❤️🏈
Sounds good to me, but I'm not aware of any new pursuits other than Hinzman for the OL. 😎❤️🏈
Shooter could remain for one more year IIRC. Bomber goes pro after this year. If these two things happen, I think we could be done with our two commits. Hinzman we take regardless. 😎❤️🏈
I am not worried about our class for 3 reasons. First, had one of best last year. Second, of course negative this year so ride the storm out. Third, with the changing in conferences we are stable (now amd should be). I mean do ISU fans think a coach better than Lombardi and Saban (according to them) is gonna stick around to coach against Ball St, Montana or UAB whoever? Nope.
One player not mentioned that may leave early is Tory Taylor especially if there’s tangible draft interest from the NFL. I certainly hope he doesn’t but I would completely understand if he did.
LaPorta is a fine TE, but I am not seeing him ranked (pre-season for whatever that is worth) ranked in the top 10-15 Tight Ends, and usually only 1 or a few go in the first round. I placed a few lists below, but I don't see him projected in the first couple of rounds of the mock drafts listed below. He could have a great year and prove all those publications wrong. As a TE coming from the Iowa system with the track record in the NFL may get him some benefit of the doubt, but with a run-centric offense it will be interesting to see how many times he is targeted to get that kind of recognition. Where are you seeing him projected that highly? Almost all the polls have Linderbaum projected in the first round.
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