An interesting look at Iowa's recent receiver recruiting.
2017
ISM 5.5
Smith 5.5
Cooper 5.4
Marchese 5.4 -became a D back
Nick Easley (JUCO-lead team in receptions)
2018
Tracy 5.7
Lockett 5.7
Ragaini 5.5
2019
Hutson 5.5
2020
Vines 5.6
Matthews 5.5
C Jones (Transfer)
2021
Johnson 5.8
Bruce 5.8
Brecht 5.7
2022
Jacob Bostick 5.7
2023
Motta 5.7
Buie 5.6
Howard 5.6
Anderson (Portal, FoY small conference).
2017
ISM 5.5
Smith 5.5
Cooper 5.4
Marchese 5.4 -became a D back
Nick Easley (JUCO-lead team in receptions)
2018
Tracy 5.7
Lockett 5.7
Ragaini 5.5
2019
Hutson 5.5
2020
Vines 5.6
Matthews 5.5
C Jones (Transfer)
2021
Johnson 5.8
Bruce 5.8
Brecht 5.7
2022
Jacob Bostick 5.7
2023
Motta 5.7
Buie 5.6
Howard 5.6
Anderson (Portal, FoY small conference).
Iowa lost Lockett, who doesn’t appear to have ever caught a ball in any college game, two seasons have been played since he left Iowa. Marchese never caught a ball and I think changed positions. Mathews went down to a JUCO and doesn’t look like he’s ever played D1 ball. Hutson dropped down a division, caught only 16 balls for a team (UNI) that threw 339 times.
Tracy lost his job to Jones, left for Purdue and finished out his last three seasons doing almost nothing. The transfer didn’t work out all that well. Tyrone caught 51 balls at Iowa for 765 yards and only 43 catches at Purdue for a paltry 304 yards, 7.1 per catch. That was in an offense that threw 466 times. The grass is not always greener.
Jones was a huge loss and the jury is out on Bruce and Johnson. Bruce had mechanical problems learning to be a straight up receiver and not a kind of do everything back. Johnson will probably be outstanding if he’s a little more durable than he showed at Iowa. A lot of injury problems in two seasons-unless last year he was just malingering and stealing a scholarship from Iowa.
Receiver appears to be the 10th priority on offensive recruiting because the offense is geared toward running and hitting tight ends. Obviously the Iowa offense needs a lot of linemen and some depth at QB. Add the critical importance of defensive recruiting and there are ultimately not a lot of spots open for receivers. Hence the misses hurt more than would typically be the case in a more common college offense that recruited more receivers and fewer running backs and tight ends.
These incoming freshmen should work their asses off, there is room at the top and QBs that can probably find and hit them when they're open on the field.
The other factor is the shit show at QB the last three seasons. The receiver numbers were much better with Nate at QB.
Tracy lost his job to Jones, left for Purdue and finished out his last three seasons doing almost nothing. The transfer didn’t work out all that well. Tyrone caught 51 balls at Iowa for 765 yards and only 43 catches at Purdue for a paltry 304 yards, 7.1 per catch. That was in an offense that threw 466 times. The grass is not always greener.
Jones was a huge loss and the jury is out on Bruce and Johnson. Bruce had mechanical problems learning to be a straight up receiver and not a kind of do everything back. Johnson will probably be outstanding if he’s a little more durable than he showed at Iowa. A lot of injury problems in two seasons-unless last year he was just malingering and stealing a scholarship from Iowa.
Receiver appears to be the 10th priority on offensive recruiting because the offense is geared toward running and hitting tight ends. Obviously the Iowa offense needs a lot of linemen and some depth at QB. Add the critical importance of defensive recruiting and there are ultimately not a lot of spots open for receivers. Hence the misses hurt more than would typically be the case in a more common college offense that recruited more receivers and fewer running backs and tight ends.
These incoming freshmen should work their asses off, there is room at the top and QBs that can probably find and hit them when they're open on the field.
The other factor is the shit show at QB the last three seasons. The receiver numbers were much better with Nate at QB.