The Iowa Hawkeyes made one of the loudest splashes nationally with their transfer portal signing of former South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski.
A two-time FCS national champion with the Jackrabbits, Gronowski brings all sorts of production and a winning pedigree to Iowa City.
For an Iowa offense that is looking to continue turning the corner under second-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester, Gronowski could be the missing piece in that quest.
ESPN tabbed Gronowski’s fit with Iowa among the best portal pairings nationally.
ESPN’s Max Olson also ranks Gronowski as one of the top players from the transfer portal in general. Olson and ESPN rank Gronowski as the No. 23 transfer portal addition nationally.
By hitting the portal at the end of the winter cycle, he immediately became the top QB available on the market. Why? Because nobody in this cycle comes close to matching his career production. He’s been one of the most dominant QBs in the sport, a four-year starter with a 49-6 career record and two national championship rings at the FCS level.
Gronowski is the active career leader at the FCS level in total offense with 10,309 passing yards, 1,767 rushing yards and 130 total touchdowns. He won the Walter Payton Award in 2023 as the top offensive player at that level. He went into the 2024 season with a late-round NFL draft grade…
What a win for the Hawkeyes. They were looking to improve their QB situation for 2025 via the portal, and their patience paid off when Gronowski hit the market. There’s not a more experienced or accomplished QB in this cycle when you consider he’s played more than 3,000 career snaps. Gronowski was productive in his lone start against Power 4 competition in 2024, throwing for 264 yards and two TDs with one interception in a 44-20 loss at Oklahoma State. He’ll be eager to prove he can compete at the highest level in the Big Ten. – Olson, ESPN.
ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill also provided a scouting report of what Iowa is adding in Gronowski.
This guy is the very definition of substance over style. All he does is make good decisions and win. It’s not always pretty and his methods can be unorthodox, but the end result is amongst the elite in college football. An adequate athlete, Gronowski shines with his accuracy. He’ll bring experience and smart play along with a sky-high expectation to perform, which he has done his entire career – Luginbill, ESPN.
Ultimately, that’s really what Iowa has been looking for. The Hawkeyes need an experienced quarterback that can make quick, smart decisions to spark their passing game and to complement a rushing attack that ranked 24th nationally.
Gronowski is undergoing an offseason surgery and will begin team activities with Iowa this summer.
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