Tag: 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes Recruiting

Iowa Football 2023 Schedule Breakdown: Illinois

The Iowa Hawkeyes return home for Senior Day in Week 12 to play host to Illinois. A preview of the Fighting Illini.

Illinois was one of the big surprises of last season. A team many thought to be a pest to play, but not necessarily a contender, Illinois was one of the big players in the Big Ten West.

Backed by a fantastic defense and rushing attack spearheaded by Chase Brown, the Illini quickly established themselves as a force in the West. Illinois won seven of their first eight contests. Had it not been for a bad call, they should have beat Indiana as well.

Unfortunately, the end of the season was a disaster for Bret Bielema’s squad. They dropped four of their last five, including a monumental game against eventual division winners Purdue. They had their spot in the Big Ten Championship game in clear view and just fumbled it away.

Despite the failure in the end, it still was a largely successful season for Illinois. Their 8-5 finish was definitely better than their 5-8 record in Bielema’s first season. They certainly looked better than they ever did under Lovie Smith.

Roots football under Bielema brought the Illini back to relevance, and it should keep them from derailing after losing a lot this offseason. Much of what made them successful last year is gone, from their fantastic secondary to Brown all going to the NFL. Whoever the key players are to emerge for Illinois, you can be sure they will give the Hawkeyes a hell of a fight.

Here is a preview of Illinois.

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Iowa Hawkeyes 2023 Snapshot Profile: QB No. 5 Joe Labas

Joe Labas directed the Black and Gold to a bowl victory over Kentucky. Does he wind up as QB2? His 2023 snapshot profile.

When looking at the quarterback position for the Iowa Hawkeyes, do not forget about sophomore Joe Labas.

While much attention has been given over the offseason to transfer additions Cade McNamara and Deacon Hill, the Hawkeyes still have a returning backup candidate in Labas. Though his playing time wasn’t extensive over the past few seasons in Iowa City, Labas has been able to learn the offensive system. He’s spent more time with Brian Ferentz than any other quarterback on the roster and has been groomed into his system over the past couple of seasons.

Also, this goes without saying, but Joe Labas is the only quarterback currently on the roster who has actually thrown a pass for the Black and Gold. He started and saw his first career action in the Hawkeyes’ 21-0 Music City Bowl victory over Kentucky. While his stats were not spectacular in his first outing for Iowa, he did manage to throw a touchdown and limit the bad plays.

Much of what Iowa asks from their quarterbacks is to game manage and simply not mess up. Labas sort of already showed that he can do that, albeit in some weird circumstances. Kentucky really looked like they were just there for a scrimmage in that bowl game.

With the competition for the backup quarterback slot behind Cade McNamara heating up, here is a look at Joe Labas.

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Iowa retains the Campbell Legacy with latest commit

The Campbell name is staying in Iowa City as Iowa football earns an in-state commitment from 2024 edge rusher Drew Campbell!

Iowa football earned a massive pledge for their 2024 recruiting class, securing four-star edge rusher Drew Campbell.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has been linked to Iowa for months, picking up a third 247Sports crystal ball prediction back in March. Of course, Campbell has been linked to Iowa City for much longer, his last name inseparable from the black and gold.

Drew Campbell is, of course, the younger brother of legendary Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. Jack became the first Hawkeye to win the Dick Butkus Award this year, cementing his legacy as one of the best to ever play at Kinnick Stadium.

Campbell announced his commitment to Twitter on April 1st, and luckily for Hawkeyes fans, this was no April Fools joke. As the proud face of Hawkeye Nation Roy Higgins III described, Iowa City does indeed have a “diesel” coming.

The 2024 edge rusher chose Iowa over offers from Iowa State, Kansas State, and Northern Iowa. He also rejected interest from a budding Kansas program as well. Campbell said in an interview with Hawk Fanatic back in August that while his brother’s allegiance to the program would play no part in his decision, his success under Ferentz was certainly hard to ignore.

“Jack has no part in my decision, but his success certainly shows what Iowa can do for a player,” Campbell said then of his thoughts on Iowa.

Now, he’s the latest 2024 Hawkeye commit.

“I think one of the most important things is how they develop you into not only a great player but a great human,” Campbell told Inside the Hawkeyes’ Rob Howe yesterday on why he picked Iowa.

Here is everything you need to know about the Hawkeyes’ newest Campbell to join coach Phil Parker’s machine! Plus, a look below at his Hudl highlights.

3-star EDGE David Caulker flips from the Iowa Hawkeyes to Iowa State pledge

Iowa lost a member of its 2023 recruiting class as three-star EDGE David Caulker announced his flip to Iowa State.

The Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series is always heated. It oftentimes begins before players even set foot on campus.

Iowa thought it had won a recruiting war over the Iowa State Cyclones back on June 6 when three-star EDGE David Caulker announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes.

Not so fast. Caulker revealed his change of plans, announcing he was flipping his commitment from the Hawkeyes to the Iowa State Cyclones.

“First off, I would like to thank Coach Ferentz, Coach Niemann, Coach Bell, Tyler Barnes and the rest of the Iowa Football Coaching staff. However, since being offered by Iowa State, something has always seemed to draw me back to the program, and it is something my heart and soul couldn’t ignore. With that being said, I will be decommitting from the University of Iowa, and I will be committing to Iowa State University,” Caulker said.

According to 247Sports, Caulker is a three-star EDGE, the No. 53 player at that position nationally and the No. 5 player in the state of Iowa. On3 also ranks Caulker as a three-star defensive lineman, the No. 56 defensive lineman nationally and as the No. 7 player in Iowa. Lastly, Rivals rates Caulker as a three-star defensive end and the No. 16 player in Iowa.

The Hawkeyes had run up their commitment count to 20 before the announcement from Caulker. Now, that obviously will drop back for the Hawkeyes.

After Caulker’s decommitment, Iowa has the country’s No. 22 class per Rivals, ranks 28th nationally according to 247Sports, 30th per On3‘s team rankings.

Recent commitments have Iowa football’s 2023 class up to 20 pledges

With recent additions, the Iowa Hawkeyes now boast 20 commitments in the 2023 recruiting class.

With several recent commitments, the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ 2023 recruiting class is now up to 20 pledges overall.

Dating back to Oct. 29, the Hawkeyes have picked up four recent commitments. It began with Iowa Western community college defensive line product Anterio Thompson’s commitment decision just before Halloween.

The Hawkeyes added commitments from Norfolk Catholic offensive lineman Kade Pieper, Cardinal Gibbons running back Kamari Moulton and Jesuit wide receiver Jarriett Buie.

The December early signing period is just about exactly one month away, so this late movement is important as Iowa looks to finalize its class. Here’s more on each of Iowa’s recent additions to the 2023 recruiting class.

ESPN names Iowa as one of its top schools recruiting offensive linemen

ESPN is showing Iowa’s recruiting efforts some love, naming the Hawkeyes as one of the nation’s top offensive line recruiters.

When you think of Iowa football, your attention doesn’t really go directly to recruiting. While a successful program, the Hawkeyes do not really have the track record of competing with schools the likes of Ohio State for recruit signatures. Coach Kirk Ferentz knows some of the limitations placed on his program as compared to some others. Typically, Ferentz focuses his attention on team building and player development.

Iowa has done very well at identifying three-star athletes who are system and cultural fits, and turning them into the next crop of players. This is mostly how the Hawkeyes have operated for years, with a lot of success, but the gears are starting to turn a bit.

Again, while they may not be able to compete on a consistent basis with the likes of Alabama and Georgia, they have shown the ability to snag a marquee player on top of their typically strong recruiting.

The area where Iowa can really compete is on the offensive line. In Tom VanHaaren of ESPN’s look at which college football teams have been recruiting the best on offense, the Hawkeyes were one of his picks at the offensive line position.

It’s rare to see a head-to-head recruiting battle between Iowa and Alabama, but the Hawkeyes ultimately won out for in-state five-star tackle Kadyn Proctor. The No. 6 recruit overall, Proctor had nearly every major program after him, but ultimately chose Iowa.

Iowa’s staff already has some younger players at tackle on the roster, including Mason Richman, Tyler Elsbury and a few others, so there won’t be a ton of pressure for Proctor play right away if he’s not ready. The staff also has commitments from three-stars Trevor Lauck, Leighton Jones and Cannon Leonard in this class. – VanHaaren, ESPN.

The commitment of Kadyn Proctor is the perfect example of the strides Iowa is making in recruting. They’ve done extremely well on the offensive line and gotten some really solid recruits.

They have gained a trio of three-star recruits in this class in Trevor Lauck, Leighton Jones and Cannon Leonard. Both Mason Richman and Tyler Elsbury are showcasing the patented Hawkeye player-development magic. Richman shows a ton of potential at left tackle, and Elsbury figures to start at left guard this year.

On top of their typical recruiting class, we’ve also seen Iowa nab a dang good offensive lineman in the past two classes. Connor Colby, a guard that should have been mentioned, was a four-star recruit who started a majority of games as a freshman last year.

And then you have Kadyn Proctor. It is rare to see a team like Iowa beat out Alabama for a recruit, especially when you consider that Alabama is also kind of an offensive lineman factory. Of course, he was an in-state player, but it’s hard to turn down Nick Saban when you are a top-10 overall recruit. And yet, Proctor is set to become a Hawkeye.

Iowa may never be able to recruit on a national level with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State. It’s never been their recipe for success. However, it is becoming evident that Iowa can pull top offensive lineman recruits to Iowa City, and the Hawkeyes have a track record of sending them to the league. We’ll have to see if they can bring in more elite tier offensive line recruits like Proctor in the future.

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3-star 2023 WR Jarriett Buie Jr. picks up Iowa Hawkeyes offer

Jarriett Buie, a three-star 2023 wide receiver from Tampa, Fla., picked up an offer from the Iowa Hawkeyes.

As Iowa works to put some of the finishing touches on its 2023 recruiting class, Hawkeye wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland and the rest of Iowa’s staff have identified one more playmaker they’d love to add to it.

The Hawkeyes offered class of 2023 wide receiver Jarriett Buie Jr. out of Jesuit High School in Tampa, Fla. The 6-foot-3, 185 pound wide receiver also holds Power Five offers from Duke, Iowa State and West Virginia.

In addition, Buie has offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, James Madison, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, and Toledo.

According to ESPN and On3, Buie is a three-star recruit. ESPN rates Buie as the nation’s No. 140 wide receiver and as the No. 154 player from Florida. Meanwhile, On3 ranks Buie as the No. 144 wide receiver in the 2023 class and as the No. 152 player from Florida.

According to MaxPreps, Buie registered 32 receptions for 402 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 14 games with Jesuit High School in 2021. He averaged 12.6 yards per catch as Jesuit finished a perfect 15-0 and as 6A state champions.

Buie would bring a track and field background to Iowa City if he winds up picking the Hawkeyes. In this past track season with Jesuit, Buie recorded a 100-meter dash of 11.49 seconds.

He would also bring a football background to Iowa City. His father played defensive end at South Florida and spent some time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009.

The Hawkeyes’ 2023 class consists of 17 commits and is currently rated as the nation’s No. 16 class by Rivals, the No. 19 class by 247Sports, the No. 21 class by On3 and the No. 24 class by ESPN.

Another wide receiver name to keep an eye on in the 2023 class as the summer begins to come to a close is Bryson Vowell out of Anderson County High School in Clinton, Tenn. He has a crystal ball prediction in to land with Iowa from HawkeyeInsider‘s Sean Bock.

Here’s a look at Buie’s junior season Hudl highlights with Jesuit High School, his full recruiting profile and a glance at the Hawkeyes’ full list of 2023 commits.

Iowa Hawkeyes No. 24 nationally in latest ESPN 2023 recruiting class rankings

In a slight downturn, Iowa ranked No. 24 nationally in ESPN’s latest 2023 team recruiting rankings. Here’s why it is no cause for alarm.

ESPN’s college football recruiting rankings saw a massive shake-up in the latest edition (subscription required). Despite pulling in their first ESPN300 recruit of the class in offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, Iowa actually moved down four spots to end up at No. 24 nationally.

Despite moving them down the list, ESPN staff writer Craig Haubert still had positives to take away from the class’ strong foundation.

Not surprisingly, the Hawkeyes’ class is not very flashy, but it has a very solid foundation. QB Marco Lainez III is a consistent, smooth, and accurate passer who looks like a nice fit for Iowa’s offense. Known for its eye for and developing offensive linemen, Iowa landed top-five center Leighton Jones. Proctor is one of the most important in-state gets for any program in this cycle. Big, strong and agile, he has the tools to be a quick contributor and one of Iowa’s next All-American-caliber OLs. Defensively, Brackney displays good power to collapse the pocket and set the edge vs. the run. – Haubert, ESPN.

It is an accurate description of the class so far, and for most Iowa recruiting classes in recent years. Iowa recruits players who fit their system, and who buy into their mentality, rather than chasing the flashiest recruits. Most of the other schools featured have more than one ESPN300 commit. It might hamper Iowa’s overall ranking, but it works for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa was not the only team to drop in the rankings. Fellow Big Ten rival Northwestern fell from No. 11 all the way to No. 20. Michigan State also dropped two slots to No. 19. Both Ohio State (No. 2) and Penn State (No. 5) round out the list for the Big Ten.

While Iowa may be one of the few teams ranked with only one ESPN300 recruit, it is a special commit for the program. Currently, only three teams have a higher-graded commit on offense than Proctor.

It is Miami with offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa (No. 5), as well as USC and Texas snagging the top two players in Malachi Nelson and Arch Manning. That is it for the moment. Of course, cornerback Cormani McClain and outside linebacker Anthony Hill are still yet to have decided, but this is a momentous class for the Hawkeyes.

While the rest of the class might not be as loved, it never is and despite that Iowa always churns out really good players. Nobody can take Kadyn Proctor away as a recruit. That is a top 10 player who Iowa wrestled away from virtually every big team, including Alabama. They managed to keep yet another top prospect in the state. Combined with their solid-as-usual foundation, and this has shaped up to be a very good class for Kirk Ferentz.

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Remaining 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes recruiting targets

Now that Iowa’s 2023 class has grown to 17 commits, who else is still on the Hawkeyes’ radar?

With the commitment from three-star defensive back Kahlil Tate, Iowa’s 2023 recruiting class is now up to 17 pledges overall. Tate joined fellow defensive back commits John Nestor and Zach Lutmer in the Hawkeyes’ 2023 class.

Rivals ranks Tate as the nation’s No. 31 safety and the No. 8 prospect from Illinois. Meanwhile, On3 ranks Tate as the No. 69 safety and the No. 13 player from Illinois.

247Sports lists Tate as the country’s No. 69 athlete and the No. 12 recruit from Illinois. Lastly, ESPN ranks Tate as the No. 71 cornerback and the No. 14 player from Illinois.

According to Rivals, Iowa now has the nation’s No. 15 class in its 2023 team rankings. Meanwhile, 247Sports ranks Iowa’s class No. 19 nationally, On3 rates it as the country’s No. 21 class and ESPN lists the Hawkeyes’ haul as No. 24 currently.

Who else might be joining Iowa’s class before it’s all said and done? Let’s take a look below at some of the Hawkeyes’ key remaining targets.

3-star DB Kahlil Tate commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becomes 17th class of 2023 pledge

Iowa added another commitment to its 2023 class from talented defensive back Kahlil Tate. The Hawkeyes now have 17 commits.

Iowa’s defensive backfield just added its latest reinforcement. The Hawkeyes picked up a commitment from defensive back Kahlil Tate out of the Kenwood Academy in Chicago, Ill.

Tate joins fellow defensive back commits John Nestor and Zach Lutmer and he represents the 17th pledge in Iowa’s 2023 class. According to 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals, Tate is a consensus three-star commit.

He chose the Hawkeyes over fellow finalist Wisconsin and Power Five offers from Arkansas, Boston College, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Syracuse and Tennessee.

Tate picked up his offer from Iowa on Jan. 21 and visited on June 24. Ultimately, it looks like that visit during the Hawkeyes’ biggest recruiting weekend of the year helped push this in Iowa’s direction. It looked good for Iowa after expert predictions started rolling in this past weekend, and now his commitment to the Hawkeyes and defensive coordinator Phil Parker is official.

Rivals ranks Tate as the nation’s No. 31 safety and the No. 8 prospect from Illinois. Meanwhile, On3 ranks Tate as the No. 69 safety and the No. 13 player from Illinois.

247Sports lists Tate as the country’s No. 69 athlete and the No. 12 recruit from Illinois. Lastly, ESPN ranks Tate as the No. 71 cornerback and the No. 14 player from Illinois.

Tate registered 63 tackles, five interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles this past season with Kenwood Academy. He also added 451 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

Here’s a look at Tate’s junior season Hudl highlights at Kenwood Academy, his full recruiting profile and Iowa’s complete list of 2023 commits.