I’ve had about all I can take with the basketball discussions. I was looking back on past football recruiting and I thought I’d compile some info and give my opinions. Our 2014 and 2015 football recruiting classes provided Iowa with the future juniors and seniors of the 2018 team. The classes were ranked 59th (2014) and 58th (2015) in the country. They followed our 2013 class which was ranked 53rd. I think the consensus is those numbers are not good enough for Iowa or the Big Ten in general. Not if you want to compete for championships. Individual star rankings do matter, but how much you think they matter varies from person to person.
Not only were those classes some of the lowest ranked in the KF era (Outside of 2008 & 2009), but they have had massive attrition. Combine those 2 classes with the 53rd ranked class we brought in in 2013, and we had 3 straight years of recruiting below our standards and the standard necessary for double digit wins and competing for championships.
Hell 3 of the 5 worst (08, 09, 13, 14, 15) KF classes according to Rivals came in a row. It makes the 2015 season a bit more impressive because of a lack of depth provided by those classes. The 2013 class did provide us with 8 really really good players though. Now to the 2014 and 2015 class....FWIW I included Falconer and LeGrand who have been reported to be done with the program in the attrition section. I also included Joly who graduated early and Wiegers even though he’s a grad transfer.
2014 & 2015
41 total commits
59th and 58th ranked
GONE
**** Jay Scheel (WR)
**** Tyler Wiegers (QB)
*** Markel Smith (RB)
*** CJ Hilliard (RB)
*** Jameer Outsey (TE)
*** Marcel Joly (RB)
*** Jalen Embry (DB)
*** Omar Truitt (DB)
*** Jerminic Smith (WR)
*** Brett Waechter (OL)
*** Emmanuel Ogwo (WR)
*** Angelo Garbutt (LB)
*** Michael Slater (DT)
*** Lucas LeGrand (OL)
** Justin Jinning (LB)
** Eric Graham (RB)
** Nick Wilson (LB)
** Mick Ellis (K)
** Terrence Harris (DE)
** Adrian Falconer (WR)
FULL-TIME STARTERS
**** James Daniels (OL)
*** Anthony Nelson (DE)
*** Matt Nelson (DL)
*** Miles Taylor (SS)
*** Keegan Render (OL)
** Josh Jackson (CB)
** Parker Hesse (DE)
** Ben Niemann (LB)
** Dillon Kidd (P)
SPOT STARTERS
** Michael Ojemudia (CB)
** Ross Reynolds (OL)
*** Levi Paulsen (OL)
CONTRIBUTORS
*** Jack Hockaday (LB)
*** Aaron Mends (LB)
** Brady Reiff (DT)
** Garret Jansen (DT)
TBD
*** Ryan Boyle (QB)
*** Jake Newborg (DT)
*** Landan Paulsen (OL)
*** Drew Cook (TE)
*** Nate Vejvoda (TE)
Gone: 20/41 (49%)
Full-Time Starters: 9/41 (22%)
Spot Starters: 3/41 (7%)
Contributors: 4/41 (10%)
TBD: 5/41 (12%)
ATTRITION
RB : 4
WR: 4
LB: 3
DB: 2
OL: 2
QB: 1
TE: 1
DE: 1
DT: 1
K: 1
Forgive me if there are any mistakes there was a lot of information to process.
Not only were those classes some of the lowest ranked in the KF era (Outside of 2008 & 2009), but they have had massive attrition. Combine those 2 classes with the 53rd ranked class we brought in in 2013, and we had 3 straight years of recruiting below our standards and the standard necessary for double digit wins and competing for championships.
Hell 3 of the 5 worst (08, 09, 13, 14, 15) KF classes according to Rivals came in a row. It makes the 2015 season a bit more impressive because of a lack of depth provided by those classes. The 2013 class did provide us with 8 really really good players though. Now to the 2014 and 2015 class....FWIW I included Falconer and LeGrand who have been reported to be done with the program in the attrition section. I also included Joly who graduated early and Wiegers even though he’s a grad transfer.
2014 & 2015
41 total commits
59th and 58th ranked
GONE
**** Jay Scheel (WR)
**** Tyler Wiegers (QB)
*** Markel Smith (RB)
*** CJ Hilliard (RB)
*** Jameer Outsey (TE)
*** Marcel Joly (RB)
*** Jalen Embry (DB)
*** Omar Truitt (DB)
*** Jerminic Smith (WR)
*** Brett Waechter (OL)
*** Emmanuel Ogwo (WR)
*** Angelo Garbutt (LB)
*** Michael Slater (DT)
*** Lucas LeGrand (OL)
** Justin Jinning (LB)
** Eric Graham (RB)
** Nick Wilson (LB)
** Mick Ellis (K)
** Terrence Harris (DE)
** Adrian Falconer (WR)
FULL-TIME STARTERS
**** James Daniels (OL)
*** Anthony Nelson (DE)
*** Matt Nelson (DL)
*** Miles Taylor (SS)
*** Keegan Render (OL)
** Josh Jackson (CB)
** Parker Hesse (DE)
** Ben Niemann (LB)
** Dillon Kidd (P)
SPOT STARTERS
** Michael Ojemudia (CB)
** Ross Reynolds (OL)
*** Levi Paulsen (OL)
CONTRIBUTORS
*** Jack Hockaday (LB)
*** Aaron Mends (LB)
** Brady Reiff (DT)
** Garret Jansen (DT)
TBD
*** Ryan Boyle (QB)
*** Jake Newborg (DT)
*** Landan Paulsen (OL)
*** Drew Cook (TE)
*** Nate Vejvoda (TE)
Gone: 20/41 (49%)
Full-Time Starters: 9/41 (22%)
Spot Starters: 3/41 (7%)
Contributors: 4/41 (10%)
TBD: 5/41 (12%)
ATTRITION
RB : 4
WR: 4
LB: 3
DB: 2
OL: 2
QB: 1
TE: 1
DE: 1
DT: 1
K: 1
Forgive me if there are any mistakes there was a lot of information to process.
