Iowa is off to a hot start in its 2024 recruiting class. Now, the Hawkeyes have set their sights on one of the top recruits in Ohio.
Elias Rudolph received an offer from the University of Iowa. It is the 17th offer the 6-foot-4, 220 pound defensive end from Taft High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, has received.
Currently, Iowa is battling it out with fellow Big Ten rivals Michigan and Purdue for Rudolph’s commitment, both of which already offered a scholarship to the four-star recruit.
Cincinnati will look to keep Rudolph in his native city, while Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Kent State, and Bowling Green are all also looking to keep one of Ohio’s top-ten recruits in 2024 in state. It should be noted that while they haven’t offered a scholarship yet, Ohio State does have interest.
According to On3, Rudolph is a four-star edge rusher and lists him as the country’s No. 162 player overall. On3 rates Rudolph as the 14th-ranked edge rusher in the country and the eighth-best prospect in the Buckeye State.
247Sports also has Rudolph as a four-star recruit, and the No. 207 player nationally. He is their 16th-ranked edge rusher, but the sixth-best prospect in Ohio.
Lastly, Rivals also lists Rudolph as a four-star talent. Rivals regards Rudolph as the nation’s No. 241 player overall, the No. 13 weak side defensive end and the No. 3 player from Ohio.
Iowa already has four commitments in its 2024 recruiting class. Offensive lineman Cody Fox, linebacker Cam Buffington and athletes Derek Weisskopf and Preston Ries have committed to the Hawkeyes.
All of those commitments are in-state products and they represent four of the top five players from the state of Iowa according to 247Sports. The Hawkeyes are a program that sends defensive ends to the NFL. Both Anthony Nelson and Chauncey Golston were drafted in recent years, and Zach VanValkenburg found an NFL roster this offseason.
They would look to develop a highly-touted recruit like Rudolph to be the next in line. Here’s a look at Rudolph’s sophomore season Hudl highlights at Taft High School.