Freshmen class buzz

[HoustonHawkeye]

First, I want to say that the majority of these players were recruited/committed before we went 12-0.

That being said, when was the last class that we had this much buzz about freshmen coming in, especially at the QB position. Granted, we have a few holes to fill, and there are some talented freshmen to look at. I have no insider knowledge like some claim:
QB: Stanley
WR: Young
RB: Young & Akinribade
TE: Fant and Hockenson
DB: Billings, Rugamba & Hooker
LB: 3 or 4 on ST early, assuming 1 or 2 play.
DT: Lattimore

Very exciting to hear this many are impressing. What is also impressive is we have 3 very good players out of Wisconsin. Always good to take take them from competitors home turf.

 

[Kurt Warner]

Yeah...and look at the doozy of a class after that

 

[pacnorthhawkeye]

You can take billings off and add golston, jones and probably beyer in there too.

 

[whatsup13579er]

Here is who I think will see some PT this year and burn the RS:
Fant
Rugamba
Jones
Hockenson
Lattimore
Golston
Young

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I think that folks need to be a little more measured about impressions about freshmen. For instance, when Pat Harty talks about how he's impressed with some guys ... the obligatory response is to roll ones eyes. Pat Harty invests too much in the "eye-ball" test and he doesn't pay attention to more relevant details (like who the guy is practicing against, the units he's working with, and the level at which the players is executing technique).

Here are guys who have either practiced a surprising amount with 1st or 2nd teamers and/or have also generated a decent amount of internal buzz from within the program:

Jackson - He's the only non-starting DB who has proven to be buzz-worthy. Of course, he's going to be a sophomore ... so listing him doesn't quite mesh with the subject of this thread. We'll probably have 2 true freshmen DBs play in '16 .... however, that has a lot more to do with NEED than buzz. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite excited about the potential of Rugamba, Hooker, and Boswell .... however, I haven't heard too much about them yet.

Amani Jones - Both players and coaches have spoken about Jones. He's legitimately setting off the buzz-meter. Having extra depth at LB is critical for how Iowa's D runs. Furthermore, he'll help our starters stay more fresh and healthy because he'll take special teams reps from them.

Devonte Young - If you look at fall-camp photos of him ... you see him getting reps against first team guys on D. That is surprising. When you combine that to comments made by the coaches ... he's obviously gotten their attention.

Toks Akinribade - Just like Jones, both players and coaches have been saying VERY positive things about this young man. Even if he doesn't play this year ... and I anticipate he will ... I bet he'll travel with the team on away games.

Noah Fant - Just like Toks and Jones, both players and coaches have been talking about this young guy. Definitely a lot of internal buzz about him. While I'm also excited about Hockenson, Fant is more likely to see more action in '16.

Lattimore - Same as the above ... he'll play as a TR FR at defensive tackle. That is pretty crazy.

Nathan Stanley - While a lot of media types were "wowed" by his throws ... I'm most struck by a comment by Ferentz. It sounds like the kids poise and demeanor, particular for a true freshman, is pretty atypical. Sounds like the type of guy who "belongs" from day one. Definitely a very valuable intangible ... we'll eventually see if his tangibles end up being at the same level.

 

[millhawk]

Alaric Jackson looked good to me.

 

[Ladell-hawk]

Here is who I think will see some PT this year and burn the RS:
Fant
Rugamba
Jones
Hockenson
Lattimore
Golston
Young

Here is who I think will see some PT this year and burn the RS:
I really doubt that Golston will play this year, he has a lot of talent but needs a year in the weightroom to get bigger. I look forward to watching him in the future. I think the 4 guys in the 2 deeps at DE are going to do a good job. Go Hawks!

 

[ChrisVarick]

I thought the rumor was the Billings left the team. Did he decide not to go?

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I thought the rumor was the Billings left the team. Did he decide not to go?

I believe that poster who wrote Billings actually meant Boswell.

 

[exiled in IL]

A lot of "buzz" for the 42nd ranked class in 2016. Love it.

 

[David1979]

I think that folks need to be a little more measured about impressions about freshmen. For instance, when Pat Hardy talks about how he's impressed with some guys ... the obligatory response is to roll ones eyes. Pat Harty invests too much in the "eye-ball" test and he doesn't pay attention to more relevant details (like who the guy is practicing against, the units he's working with, and the level at which the players is executing technique).

Here are guys who have either practiced a surprising amount with 1st or 2nd teamers and/or have also generated a decent amount of internal buzz from within the program:

Jackson - He's the only non-starting DB who has proven to be buzz-worthy. Of course, he's going to be a sophomore ... so listing him doesn't quite mesh with the subject of this thread. We'll probably have 2 true freshmen DBs play in '16 .... however, that has a lot more to do with NEED than buzz. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite excited about the potential of Rugamba, Hooker, and Boswell .... however, I haven't heard too much about them yet.

Amani Jones - Both players and coaches have spoken about Jones. He's legitimately setting off the buzz-meter. Having extra depth at LB is critical for how Iowa's D runs. Furthermore, he'll help our starters stay more fresh and healthy because he'll take special teams reps from them.

Devonte Young - If you look at fall-camp photos of him ... you see him getting reps against first team guys on D. That is surprising. When you combine that to comments made by the coaches ... he's obviously gotten their attention.

Toks Akinribade - Just like Jones, both players and coaches have been saying VERY positive things about this young man. Even if he doesn't play this year ... and I anticipate he will ... I bet he'll travel with the team on away games.

Noah Fant - Just like Toks and Jones, both players and coaches have been talking about this young guy. Definitely a lot of internal buzz about him. While I'm also excited about Hockenson, Fant is more likely to see more action in '16.

Lattimore - Same as the above ... he'll play as a TR FR at defensive tackle. That is pretty crazy.

Nathan Stanley - While a lot of media types were "wowed" by his throws ... I'm most struck by a comment by Ferentz. It sounds like the kids poise and demeanor, particular for a true freshman, is pretty atypical. Sounds like the type of guy who "belongs" from day one. Definitely a very valuable intangible ... we'll eventually see if his tangibles end up being at the same level.

So the same freshman everyone else mentioned?

 

[SLarew]

A lot of "buzz" for the 42nd ranked class in 2016. Love it.

A lot of buzz, for sure, but Homer is correct in how we should be looking at the first practice. Which unit were they playing with and which unit were they playing against.

I think there will be 6-8 freshmen who play this year, based on their skill level as well as depth chart needs. I wouldn't be surprised to see both Toks and Toran Young play this year. Three good RBs in front of them but all three have had injury issues at times so could play 5 this year. Wont be like 2004 where they need to revert to walkon RB.

Young seems to be showing well but I have to wonder if he may move down when Scheel returns. Also Falconer and Ogwo made some plays. The next two weeks will tell. First week of practice gives everyone a shot but now, as KF put it, will see who can do it consistently.

I think both Fant and Hochenson play at TE. Iowa uses TE a lot so they will get their chances.

Hooker and Jones seem likely to play on STs if not on defense. Iowa has always played freshmen DBs so Hooker and Rumganda (sp?) are likely to play. Wouldn't be surprised to see Boswell playing too on STs.

 

[DutchyFunStar]

Seeing true freshman going against starters in photos means nothing. The 3s commonly go against 1s in practice so the first teams can install their packages.

 

[RogerKint]

This class of freshman are going to make their mark this year. We recruited a ton of tall, athletic kids who can play more than one position: Fant, McKnight, Hockenson, Beyer, Gohlston, Lattimore, Schulte, Welch. At the moment, DE is a big question mark. It will become the strength of our defense in the next few years. I know that Lattimore is moving inside and Beyer, Fant and Hockenson are on offense. But DE will be a strength for the next few years, especially if Epenesa plays as expected.

 

[cmhawks99]

I put zero Faith in that national rank, not trashing the system, I get having lots of 4 stars is nice, but when you routinely only sign 20ish kids that "ranking" is always going to be highly subjective. The one thing that really intrigued me looking at this was the two classes in 2008-2009. I'm a big fan but a combination of backing off my obsession over the last few years and my kids getting older created a blind spot there for me. I mentioned this in another thread but those two classes and their ultimate production was awful. Since then our classes have been 45th, 31st, 44th, 51st and 56th, through 2010 to 2014. With the 2014 class being drastically under-ranked as Iowa classes have historically been. It already has 6 starters (who have got playing time so not just "projected") and two other kids, Jackson (I think will be star at CB eventually) and Scheel who have massive potential. Now to be fair 4 kids transfered, one didnt make it and Kidd has graduated already but their are still several OL's that are in the 2-deeps so it has a chance to be very good at "56th". I have been very excited about Iowa's last several classes and have not at any point thought we were recruiting poorly regardless of our "rankings.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

So the same freshman everyone else mentioned?

LOL! A trimmed version of the lists of others. The point being that a lot of folks are likely throwing out "false positives." Don't get me wrong, I think that A LOT of the guys who aren't hyped early still will likely develop into important contributors. For instance, Pat Angerer was a really immature guy AND he suffered a number of injuries early in his development. Consequently, he was well off of everybody's radar until we had such a phenomenal spring camp (the spring of '08). From that point, he pulled even to Coleman and then surpassed him for the MIKE spot.

Also, just because a guy plays early doesn't mean that he even ends up becoming a starter. For example, Sean Draper and William Lowe are both guys who saw action as true freshmen. Draper eventually became an important contributor for the Hawks, albeit more in a backup capacity. In contrast, Lowe played early, but wasn't really a difference maker for the Hawks. He ended up getting lost to the whole rhabo fiasco.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Seeing true freshman going against starters in photos means nothing. The 3s commonly go against 1s in practice so the first teams can install their packages.

Yes, but it is more telling when you also see them on the field with starters from the SAME unit. Of course, that doesn't imply that the guy will be a starter - however, what it does say is that the coaches anticipate that the guy COULD end up playing with those who are starting.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Alaric Jackson looked good to me.

I've been very intrigued about Jackson, ever since we were a legit contender recruiting him. Obviously, we subsequently landed him and he's now on the team. Anyhow, he's a high potential guy who is a veritable blank slate for the coaches. That's exciting because he has fewer bad habits to "unlearn" ... and because Iowa has had a ridiculous track record developing guys with such backgrounds. I sometimes think that we have a better success rate with guys who have little to no OL experience than guys who are "lifers" on the OL.