2023 Iowa Hawkeyes Recruiting – Page 2

2023 Big Ten team recruiting rankings tracker

Where do all of the Big Ten schools stand in the 2023 recruiting class? Here’s an updated ranking on each school with their top recruits.

It’s the lifeblood of a college football program. In a sport where faces change every couple of seasons, each team is always looking to land the next big recruiting class to keep refreshing the talent pool.

Three Big Ten teams finished with top-10 recruiting classes in the 247Sports composite team rankings for 2022. That group was led by Ohio State with the nation’s No. 4 class and followed by Penn State at No. 6 and Michigan at No. 9.

Michigan State was the only other Big Ten program to register a top-25 recruiting class in 2022 according to the 247Sports composite team rankings, finishing No. 24 nationally.

Two other Big Ten teams finished with top-30 recruiting classes, including the Iowa Hawkeyes. Indiana finished No. 26 nationally, while Iowa checked in with the No. 30 class overall in the team rankings.

The rest of the Big Ten classes in 2022 finished like this: Maryland at No. 31, Rutgers at No. 33, Purdue at No. 38, Nebraska at No. 41, Wisconsin at No. 44, Illinois at No. 46, Northwestern at No. 48 and Minnesota at No. 49.

How is each program’s 2023 recruiting class shaping up? Who leads among Big Ten schools and which players are each program’s top recruit? The following rankings are organized according to the 247Sports composite team rankings, but each team’s breakdown also includes their Rivals and On3 team rankings. Let’s take a look below.

Recruiting experts predicting 3-star DB Khalil Tate to commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes

A series of recruiting experts have submitted predictions for Kenwood Academy defensive back Khalil Tate to commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

There’s good news this weekend on one of Iowa’s top remaining defensive targets. Class of 2023 defensive back Khalil Tate out of the Kenwood Academy in Chicago, Ill., has picked up a series of predictions to commit to the Hawkeyes.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu, Badger247‘s Evan Flood and HawkeyeInsider‘s Sean Bock all submitted crystal ball predictions for Tate to Iowa on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, HawkeyeInsider’s David Eickholt submitted a prediction for Tate to the Hawkeyes.

Rivals experts have been issuing forecasts to Iowa as well. Tom Kakert of HawkeyeReport and Jon McNamara of BadgerBlitz issued FutureCasts for Tate to the Hawkeyes on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Tate is regarded as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals. 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.

Tate is deciding between Iowa and Wisconsin. He also holds offers from schools such as Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee.

It would be a sensational add to the Hawkeyes’ already impressive 2023 recruiting class. Iowa’s 2023 class ranks No. 16 nationally by Rivals, No. 19 by 247Sports and No. 21 by On3. That ranks fourth in the Big Ten according to each website’s league recruiting rankings.

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.

3-star EDGE Kenneth Merrieweather commits to Iowa, becomes 16th 2023 pledge

Kenneth Merrieweather, a three-star 2023 EDGE out of Detroit, Mich., committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becoming the 16th pledge in 2023.

Iowa and defensive line coach Kelvin Bell added another talented piece to its defensive line, earning a commitment from class of 2023 EDGE Kenneth Merrieweather out of Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Mich. The decision from Merrieweather is sure to delight Hawkeye defensive coordinator Phil Parker as well.

“First I want to thank god for everything he has done for me in this process. I want to thank all family, friends and coaches who supported me throughout the way. I appreciate every coach and trainers who helped me get developed on every level to reach the dream I always wanted to live. Thanks to every school who gave me an opportunity. I’m just a kid from the eastside trying to make it!! Let’s keep it black and gold💛🖤 COMMITTED!!!” Merrieweather wrote in his Instagram announcement.

The 6-foot-3, 245 pound Merrieweather is rated as a three-star commit by 247Sports, On3 and Rivals. According to 247Sports, Merrieweather is the nation’s No. 50 EDGE and the No. 14 player from Michigan. In the 247Sports composite rankings, Merrieweather checks in as the No. 892 player nationally, the No. 75 EDGE and the No. 16 player from Michigan.

On3 ranks Merrieweather as the No. 75 EDGE in the 2023 class and the No. 15 player from Michigan. In the On3 consensus rankings, Merrieweather is the No. 852 player nationally, the No. 66 EDGE and the No. 18 player from Michigan. Lastly, according to Rivals, Merrieweather is the No. 18 player from Michigan in the 2023 class.

He chose the Hawkeyes over fellow finalist Purdue. Some of Merrieweather’s other notable offers included Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

Now, Merrieweather joins a defensive line class for Iowa that also features three-star EDGE Chase Brackney out of Cherry Creek High School in Colorado, three-star defensive lineman Maddux Borcherding-Johnson out of Norwalk High School in Iowa and three-star EDGE David Caulker of North High School in Des Moines.

Prior to Merrieweather’s commitment, the Hawkeyes’ 2023 class was rated as the No. 16 class nationally by Rivals, the No. 18 class by 247Sports, and the No. 22 class by On3. With those respective team rankings, Iowa has the No. 4 class among Big Ten teams across each of the three ranking services.

Here’s a look at Merrieweather’s junior season Hudl highlights at Martin Luther King High School, a peek into his full recruiting profile and Iowa’s complete list of 2023 commits.

Iowa Hawkeyes make top 5 schools for 2023 twin defensive backs, Caden, Cameren Jenkins

The Iowa Hawkeyes made the top five schools for three-star, class of 2023 twin defensive backs Caden and Cameren Jenkins.

Two is so much better than one. Iowa is still hoping there’s a twin billing in the future patrolling the Hawkeyes’ defensive backfield.

The Hawkeye coaching staff has reason to be optimistic, too. Twin defensive backs Caden Jenkins and Cameren Jenkins out of Lewisville High School in Texas both announced Iowa as one of their top five schools, respectively.

Caden Jenkins, a 6-foot-1, 165 pound cornerback in the 2023 class, revealed that his top five includes Arkansas, Baylor, Iowa, Oregon State and SMU. Meanwhile, Cameren Jenkins, a 6-foot-2, 175 pound safety in the 2023 class, revealed that his top five includes Grambling State, Iowa, Oregon State, SMU and UTSA.

If the pair is ultimately signing as a package deal, then that means that Iowa, Oregon State and SMU are the three schools that show up in both of the Jenkins twins’ final top five schools.

According to Rivals, Caden Jenkins is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 56 cornerback and the No. 85 player from Texas. Meanwhile, On3 rates Caden Jenkins as a three-star talent, the No. 74 cornerback and the No. 144 player from Texas.

According to On3, Cameren Jenkins is a three-star safety, the No. 78 safety nationally and the No. 173 player from Texas. Rivals also lists Cameren Jenkins as a three-star recruit.

Below is a look at Caden and Cameren Jenkins’ junior season Hudl highlights at Lewisville High School, their complete recruiting profiles and a glance at Iowa’s full list of 2023 commits.

3-star EDGE Jordan Allen trims list to four schools, Iowa Hawkeyes right in the thick of it

Three-star EDGE Jordan Allen trimmed his list of schools to four and Iowa remains. The Hawkeyes join Missouri, Kansas State and Iowa State.

One of Iowa’s top remaining defensive targets in the 2023 class narrowed his list of schools to four and the Hawkeyes are still right in the thick of his recruitment.

Three-star EDGE and defensive end Jordan Allen out of Olathe South High School in Olathe, Kan., revealed on July 4 that Iowa made the cut for his final four alongside Missouri, Kansas State and Iowa State.

Allen took part in Iowa’s big recruiting weekend recently, taking an official visit to the Hawkeyes on June 24. Now, the 6-foot-4, 240 pound EDGE will decide between the Hawkeyes, Tigers, Wildcats and Cyclones in the coming weeks.

According to Rivals, Allen is the nation’s No. 46 weak side defensive end and the No. 6 player from the Sunflower State in the 2023 class. On3 lists Allen as the No. 62 EDGE in the 2023 class and the No. 7 player from Kansas. Lastly, 247Sports ranks Allen as the No. 74 EDGE and the No. 11 player from Kansas.

Allen is also a three-star prospect in both the On3 consensus rankings and the 247Sports composite rankings. On3’s consensus rates Allen as the nation’s No. 864 player overall, the No. 69 EDGE and the No. 8 player from Kansas, while 247Sports’ composite rankings place Allen as the No. 871 player nationally, the No. 73 EDGE and the No. 8 player from Kansas.

Allen earned his offer from the Hawkeyes on April 16 when he visited during the spring. While he’s choosing between Iowa, Missouri, Kansas State and Iowa State, Allen also picked up Power Five offers from Illinois, Kansas, USC, Vanderbilt and Washington.

If Iowa does indeed win the recruiting battle here, Allen would join a defensive line class that currently features Chase Brackney of Cherry Creek High School (Colo.), Maddux Borcherding-Johnson of Norwalk High School (Iowa) and David Caulker of North High School (Iowa).

Here’s a look at Allen’s junior season Hudl tape from Olathe South High School, a look at his full recruiting profile and a glance at the Hawkeyes’ latest commit, tight end Zach Ortwerth.

3-star tight end Zach Ortwerth commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becomes 14th 2023 pledge

Zach Ortwerth, a three-star tight end out of Missouri, committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becoming the 14th pledge in the 2023 class.

America’s birthday just got a little bit sweeter for Iowa Hawkeyes fans. Tight end Zach Ortwerth announced his commitment to Iowa, becoming the 14th pledge in the 2023 class for the Hawkeyes.

The 6-foot-5, 220 pound tight end out of St. Louis University in Missouri is a consensus three-star commit across 247Sports, On3 and Rivals. According to 247Sports, Ortwerth is the nation’s No. 36 tight end and the No. 15 player from Missouri.

Rivals rates Ortwerth as the No. 22 player from the Show Me State, while On3 ranks Ortwerth as the No. 27 tight end and the 14th-best player from Missouri.

In the 247Sports composite rankings, Ortwerth is regarded as the nation’s No. 737 player overall, the No. 37 tight end and the No. 16 player from Missouri. Meanwhile, in the On3 consensus rankings, Ortwerth checks in as the No. 771 player nationally, the No. 41 tight end and the No. 18 player from Missouri.

Ortwerth committed to the Hawkeyes over offers from schools such as Illinois, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Purdue, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The commitment from the 6-foot-5 tight end will no doubt delight Marco Lainez III, the Hawkeyes’ three-star quarterback commit in the 2023 class.

Watching Ortwerth’s junior season film, he displays soft hands, moves well in space for a bigger-bodied pass catcher, can high-point the football and has an understanding of route concepts and runs those routes smoothly. He’s a big-time addition to the Hawkeyes’ 2023 class and represents new Iowa tight ends coach Abdul Hodge’s first commitment since taking over.

Here’s a look at Ortwerth’s junior season Hudl film from St. Louis University, a peek into his full recruiting profile and a glance at Iowa’s complete list of 2023 commits.

Iowa Hawkeyes’ commits, fans react on social media to Kadyn Proctor’s commitment

Five-star OT Kadyn Proctor is staying home in Iowa City. How did recruits and fans react on social media to the decision?

The Iowa Hawkeyes officially landed a commitment from their biggest target—no pun intended—in the 2023 recruiting class. Five-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes on Thursday afternoon, spurning his other final choice in the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The 6-foot-7, 330 pound tackle out of Southeast Polk High School in Des Moines, Iowa, followed the path that his old teammate Xavier Nwankpa took in the 2022 cycle, choosing the Hawkeyes instead of some of college football’s traditional heavyweights.

In addition to Alabama, Proctor chose Iowa over offers from schools such as Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.

Nwankpa chose Iowa over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas and USC.

According to 247Sports’ list of Iowa’s all-time football commits, Proctor is the highest-rated commit Iowa has landed since the year 2000 and Nwankpa is No. 10 on that list.

With Proctor’s commitment, Iowa now possesses the nation’s No. 15 class nationally according to 247Sports, the No. 15 class according to Rivals and the No. 16 class according to On3. The Hawkeyes’ class checks in as the Big Ten’s No. 4 class according to 247Sports, On3 and Rivals.

According to ESPN, Proctor is the nation’s No. 6 player in the 2023 class and the No. 2 offensive tackle. Rivals also ranks Proctor as five-star commit, the nation’s No. 14 player overall, and the top offensive tackle.

Meanwhile, On3 and 247Sports both list Proctor as a four-star commit. According to 247Sports, Proctor is the nation’s No. 7 player overall and the top offensive tackle. On3 ranks Proctor as the No. 31 player nationally and the No. 4 offensive tackle. However, he is rated as a five-star commit in both the 247Sports composite rankings and the On3 consensus rankings.

While, yes, there’s the in-state tie here with both, these decisions and simply landing players of this caliber could make the Hawkeyes a more attractive destination to high-profile targets to close the 2023 class, in the coming years and signal an uptick in Iowa’s overall recruiting moving forward.

It’s an exciting time to be an Iowa fan. Naturally, the rest of Iowa’s current 2023 commits were fired up as was the entirety of Hawkeyes Nation. Here’s some of the best social media reactions to Proctor’s decision to commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

‘I’m home:’ 5-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes

Five-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor is staying home. The Southeast Polk High School product announced his pledge to the Hawkeyes.

It felt like his recruitment was trending in this direction after he narrowed down his final two choices to Iowa and Alabama and added a final official visit with the Hawkeyes. Now, it’s official for the five-star prospect.

Southeast Polk High School offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor made it official on Thursday afternoon. The 6-foot-7, 330 pound product from Des Moines, Iowa, announced he’s staying home and has committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Here’s a look at some of Proctor’s junior season Hudl highlights at Southeast Polk High School from their 2021 postseason run, his full recruiting profile and the full list of Iowa’s 2023 commits.

Iowa Hawkeyes make top 4 for 2023 DL target Kendrick Gilbert

The Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves as one of the final four choices for talented 2023 defensive lineman Kendrick Gilbert.

Class of 2023 defensive line target Kendrick Gilbert out of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Ind., released his final four schools and Iowa made the cut. The Hawkeyes are joined by LSU, Kentucky and Purdue.

Gilbert was on hand this past weekend for Iowa’s biggest recruiting weekend of the year. The 6-foot-5, 270 pound defensive lineman took official visits to Purdue on June 3, LSU on June 10, Kentucky on June 17 and Iowa on June 24.

It makes sense that those four comprise Gilbert’s final four choices. The Hawkeyes have been involved in Gilbert’s recruitment from the start, extending Gilbert both his first offer overall and first Power Five offer on March 29, 2021. Now, it looks like the Hawkeyes will be in the race until the finish.

According to Rivals, On3 and ESPN, Gilbert is a four-star recruit. Rivals ranks Gilbert as the nation’s No. 181 player overall, the No. 17 strong side defensive end and the No. 2 player from Indiana.

On3 rates Gilbert as the country’s No. 251 player nationally, the No. 33 defensive lineman and the No. 3 prospect from Indiana. ESPN lists Gilbert as the No. 21 defensive tackle in the 2023 class and the No. 4 player from Indiana.

Meanwhile, 247Sports rates Gilbert as a three-star recruit, the No. 73 defensive lineman and the No. 11 player from Indiana in the 2023 class. The 247Sports composite rankings have Gilbert as a four-star recruit, the No. 300 player nationally, the No. 44 defensive lineman and the No. 4 prospect from Indiana.

According to the On3 consensus rankings, Gilbert is a four-star recruit, the No. 364 player nationally, the No. 45 defensive lineman and the No. 4 player from Indiana.

Here’s a look at Gilbert’s junior season Hudl highlights at Cathedral High School, his full recruiting profile and a look at the Hawkeyes’ current list of 2023 commits.

Expert predictions flipping from Iowa to Wisconsin for 2023 OT Christoper Terek

After several experts previously had crystal ball predictions in for Christopher Terek to Iowa, his projections are flipping to Wisconsin.

What looked promising for an Iowa commitment just four short days ago suddenly looks like it has reversed course in Wisconsin’s favor.

After Sam Webb of TheMichiganInsider and David Eickholt of HawkeyeInsider submitted 247Sports crystal ball predictions for three-star offensive tackle Christopher Terek to Iowa on June 23 and June 24, it’s now a much different picture.

Now, Eickholt and his colleague at HawkeyeInsider, Sean Bock, both have placed crystal ball predictions in for Terek to Wisconsin this afternoon. Badger247‘s Evan Flood followed suit and also has a crystal ball prediction in for Terek to Wisconsin. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu has a crystal ball prediction for Terek to the Badgers as well.

The 6-foot-6, 295 pound offensive tackle out of Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill., is rated by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 56 offensive tackle and the No. 16 player from Illinois.

On3 ranks the Glenbard West High School product as the No. 54 interior offensive lineman and the No. 12 player from Illinois in the 2023 class, while Rivals lists Terek as the No. 53 offensive tackle and the No. 9 player from Illinois.

Iowa has added June commitments from four-star offensive tackle Trevor Lauck of Roncalli High School (Ind.), four-star running back Kendrick Raphael of Naples High School (Fla.), three-star offensive tackle Cannon Leonard of Iroquois West High School (Ill.) and three-star EDGE David Caulker of North High School (Iowa).

If he committed to Iowa, Terek would join a 2023 class that currently includes aforementioned offensive line commits Lauck and Leonard as well as three-star Leighton Jones out of Brownsburg High School (Ind.). The Hawkeyes’ 2023 class currently ranks No. 17 nationally by 247Sports and No. 20 nationally by Rivals.

Included below is a look at Terek’s junior season Hudl tape from Glenbard West High School, his full recruiting profile and Iowa’s full list of 2023 commits.