Tag: 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes Recruiting

Iowa details inking safety O’Lontae Dean despite late Louisville push

Despite a late push from Louisville, Iowa inked talented safety O’Lontae Dean to its 2025 signing class.

On the first day of the early signing period, Iowa inked three-star safety O’Lontae Dean along with its other 14 signees.

Dean, a 6-foot-1, 205 pound native of Plant City, Fla., is listed by On3’s 2025 Industry Rankings as the No. 80 safety, the No. 112 prospect in the Sunshine State, and as the No. 861 signee nationally.

Before his eventual signing with the Hawkeyes, a late push by the Louisville Cardinals caused some concern within the Iowa recruiting staff, specifically chief of staff and general manager Tyler Barnes.

“We usually have uneventful signing days, and I thought we were headed that way,” Barnes said.  “I was actually at the basketball game with my son last night and didn’t see (Josh) Dix make the game-winning shot because I was looking down on my phone to a text I didn’t expect to receive with some not-so-great news. So it was a later night than I would like to admit, but we got it done…

“Every year there’s going to be some bumps in the road in terms of recruiting guys and some second thoughts, but his mom was great through the process. She wanted him to be a Hawkeye, and took a little bit of talking, a little massaging late last night. We got it done, and here we are. Yeah, sweating a little bit this morning, but when he signed, it was good.”

Barnes added that Dean will serve strictly as a safety within Iowa’s defense next season as he expects defensive coordinator Phil Parker will find the perfect fit for the incoming freshman come next fall.

“He’s a kid that plays everything from safety to outside backer, running back, to receiver. He can kind of do it all. A lot of the safeties we’ve had here that have been pretty good football players, you know, they had the ball in their hands in high school as well.

“For us, he’s going to be strictly a safety. Where he fits back in the back three, you know, we’ll see. We really don’t go out and try to recruit a strong, a free, a CASH. We try and find the best safeties and then when they get here, we let Phil do his magic and see where they fit best,” Barnes said.

Dean joins Drew MacPherson and CJ Bell as defensive back signees in the Hawkeyes’ 2025 class.

“A true football player, O’Lontae has been a staple in Armwood High School’s success, starring in multiple positions on both sides of the ball during his multi-year varsity career.

“He has a unique blend of range, speed, and violence to go along with a great frame that will make him a dynamic player for the University of lowa Football Secondary,” Parker said of Dean.

According to On3’s recruiting class rankings, Iowa has the No. 10 class within the Big Ten and No. 32 in the nation.

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Iowa football collects fifth 2025 commitment from 4-star TE Thomas Meyer

Boom! Another commit. The Iowa Hawkeyes added four-star tight end Thomas Meyer to their 2025 recruiting class.

After already having secured a commitment from three-star linebacker Carson Cooney on Saturday night, the Iowa Hawkeyes went ahead and made a weekend of it in the 2025 recruiting class.

Tight End U has its latest name to add to the equation, picking up a commitment from four-star, class of 2025 tight end Thomas Meyer on Sunday.

Meyer is rated as a four-star commit according to both 247Sports and Rivals. 247Sports ranks Meyer as the No. 149 player nationally, as the No. 7 tight end and as the No. 2 player from Iowa. Meanwhile, Rivals rates Meyer as the No. 12 tight end and as the No. 2 player from Iowa.

On3 and ESPN each regard Meyer as a three-star talent. On3 lists Meyer as the country’s No. 21 tight end and as the No. 3 player from Iowa.

Per 247Sports, Meyer chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Duke, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin.

Out of Clear Lake, Iowa, the 6-foot-5, 210 pound tight end shared a simple message with the announcement on X, writing, “GO HAWKS.”

Meyer joins the aforementioned Cooney in the Hawkeyes’ 2025 class. He also joins a group that features three-star linebacker Burke Gautcher of Sycamore High School in Illinois, three-star lineman Joey VanWetzinga of Pleasant Valley High School in Iowa and three-star quarterback Jimmy Sullivan of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Let’s take a full dive into Meyer’s recruiting profile with a look at his Hudl highlights.

Iowa Hawkeyes grab commitment from 3-star 2025 LB Carson Cooney

Boom! Another commit. Iowa secured its fourth commit in the 2025 class from three-star linebacker Carson Cooney of Oswego, Ill.

The Iowa Hawkeyes‘ 2025 recruiting class is up to four commits.

Three-star linebacker Carson Cooney out of Oswego High School in Illinois announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes on Saturday evening.

Cooney is a three-star commit according to both 247Sports and Rivals. 247Sports ranks Cooney as the nation’s No. 52 linebacker and as the No. 17 player from Illinois.

Per 247Sports, the 6-foot-3, 215 pound linebacker chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Central Michigan, Kent State and Ohio.

“I’m excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Iowa! I would like to thank God, my family and all of the coaches along the way who have believed in me and helped me achieve my dream,” Cooney wrote in his announcement on X.

Cooney joins Iowa’s 2025 class which also features three-star linebacker Burke Gautcher of Sycamore High School in Illinois, three-star lineman Joey VanWetzinga of Pleasant Valley High School in Iowa and three-star quarterback Jimmy Sullivan of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Cooney shared some of his thoughts on Iowa with HawkeyeInsider’s Sean Bock back in the fall.

“They’re a really good defense, and they’re well-coached and super disciplined. They rarely make mistakes, and if they do, they fix it right away…

“Jack Campbell, I’ve watched all of his highlights. He’s a great player. He’s one of my favorite linebackers that I’ve watched from Iowa,” Cooney said.

As Cooney joins this 2025 Iowa class, let’s take a full dive into his recruiting profile and take a peek at his Hudl highlights.

2025 4-star Cedar Rapids OT Nick Brooks decommits from Iowa

The Iowa Hawkeyes received the unfortunate news that Cedar Rapids native and four-star offensive lineman Nick Brooks has decommitted.

The Iowa Hawkeyes took a bit of a crushing blow with recent news that one of, if not the top recruit from the 2025 class, announced that he has decommitted from Iowa.

Nick Brooks, a four-star offensive lineman recruit from nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa, took to X to announce that he has decommitted from the Iowa Hawkeyes and is opening up his recruitment.

This loss has some extra sting for the Hawkeyes and their faithful after the Kadyn Proctor debacle last year that saw him flip his decision to Alabama at the last minute. While Iowa isn’t out of the running on Brooks, this isn’t a place that they wanted to find themselves.

“After talking with my family, I will be decomitting from the University of Iowa… My recruitment is still open 100%,” Brooks wrote on X.

Brooks is among the top offensive tackles in the country and has been viewed by some recruiting outlets as the top recruit in the state of Iowa, a territory that the Hawkeyes pride themselves on owning.

Iowa sits with the No. 29 recruiting class in 2025 right now per the 247Sports composite class rankings. This loss slid Iowa down in the rankings, but the larger issue that looms with news like this is what it could mean moving forward with talented offensive recruits.

Here’s a look at Brooks’ recruiting profile. Plus, a look at Iowa’s current 2025 outlook.

Iowa basketball offers emerging 2025 Hoosier State SG

Iowa basketball offered one of the emerging talents from the state of Indiana in 2025 shooting guard Braylon Mullins.

The Iowa Hawkeyes offered one of the top rising talents in the state of Indiana. Braylon Mullins, a 2025 shooting guard, reported his offer from the Hawkeyes on Friday.

A 6-foot-5, 180 pound shooting guard, Mullins plays at Greenfield Central High School in Indiana. Last season, he averaged 16.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. He shot 58% from the field, 47% from 3-point distance and 77% from the free throw line.

In addition to his offer from Iowa, 247Sports reports that Mullins also has a Power Five offer from Virginia Tech. The rest of his offers feature Indiana State, IUPUI, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Southern Indiana, Toledo, Tulane and Valparaiso.

Per Rivals, Mullins is also drawing interest from Butler, Cincinnati, Indiana, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State and West Virginia.

Mullins spoke with Hawkeye Report‘s Tom Kakert to discuss the offer from Iowa.

“I’d fit in well with Iowa basketball by playing hard all the time and being an athletic shotmaker. I watched them a couple of times last year and they have a real will to win,” Mullins said of the Hawkeyes.

As it’s early in the 2025 recruiting cycle, Mullins is still an unrated recruit across the four major recruiting services. Outside of high school on the AAU basketball circuit, the rising guard is a member of the Indiana Elite. That is the same squad as current 2024 Hawkeye forward commit Cooper Koch.

Though the recruiting services are still a step behind, Mullins has an early believer in Indiana high school hoops evaluator Logan Greenwell.

Greenwell wrote the following of Mullins on Twitter recently:

This kid very well could be the best shooter in the State of Indiana. Knows how to run off screens, gets his feet set, and gets good elevation. No-Brainer HM Talent. Had a great spring/summer with Indiana Elite and was a standout last week at the 2nd Annual (Desmond Bane) Elite Camp. – Greenwell, LGreenwellHoops.

A natural scorer, Mullins can really shoot it. Fans can take a look at some of what Greenwell is talking about here courtesy of Mullins’ sophomore Hudl highlights.

Plus, Mullins’ full recruiting profile is below.

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Joey VanWetzinga gets 2025 party started for Iowa Hawkeyes

The 2025 party has begun for the black and gold! Pleasant Valley lineman Joey VanWetzinga is the first 2025 commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

It’s time to get the party started. Joey VanWetzinga made sure that’s the case, announcing his pledge in the 2025 class to the Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend.

Offered by Iowa on June 20, VanWetzinga didn’t even need a full two weeks to make up his mind that joining the Hawkeyes is the right move for him. Per David Eickholt of Hawkeye Insider, the 6-foot-2, 255 pound lineman actually has the opportunity to play either offensive line or defensive line in Iowa City.

“Coach Ferentz said that he doesn’t know which side of the ball he’s going to see me, but they wanted to offer me a scholarship. Based on my weight goals and where I’m at by the end of my senior year, that’s probably where I’ll land,” VanWetzinga told Eickholt.

Now, VanWetzinga is the first domino in the 2025 class for the black and gold.

VanWetzinga registered 23 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season with Pleasant Valley. As typifies many Hawkeye recruitments, VanWetzinga is also a standout wrestler.

With the 2025 class still in its early evaluation phase, VanWetzinga isn’t ranked yet across any of the four major recruiting services. That will change in due time, but the interest he’s drawn from Power 5 programs is a good indication of the upside FBS teams see in VanWetzinga. VanWetzinga has also drawn interest from Illinois, Iowa State and Wisconsin.

As VanWetzinga laid out to Inside The Hawkeyes’ Rob Howe, the Bettendorf product is comfortable becoming the first commit in Iowa’s 2025 class.

“I had a talk with my family and went with my gut feeling knowing that I was a good fit for Iowa. I think it shows my commitment and dedication towards the program that has given me an opportunity to play at the next level,” VanWetzinga told Howe of why Iowa was the right fit.

Joey’s older brother, Rusty VanWetzinga, turned down a scholarship opportunity with Southern Illinois for the chance to join Iowa’s program as a preferred walk-on in the 2023 class.

Here’s a look at VanWetzinga’s sophomore Hudl tape. Plus, his full recruiting profile below.

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Iowa Hawkeyes offer 2025 ATH Mason Woods, son of LeVar Woods

The Iowa Hawkeyes offered three-star 2025 athlete Mason Woods, the son of Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods.

The Iowa Hawkeyes extended an offer to someone very close to the program. Talented class of 2025 athlete Mason Woods picked up an offer from the Hawkeyes.

Woods is rated as a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals. According to 247Sports, Woods is the nation’s No. 44 athlete and the No. 5 player in the state of Iowa in the 2025 class.

The 6-foot-2, 200 pound athlete is the son of Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods. A product of Iowa City West, Woods also holds offers from Missouri, South Dakota, Tulsa and Wyoming per 247Sports. He is also drawing interest from programs such as Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

After receiving his offer, Woods caught up with Hawk Nation’s Rob Howe to detail what the offer meant to him and what’s next in his recruitment.

“It was really a surreal moment, considering that my dad played for coach Ferentz and I had been around the program my whole life,” Woods said.

Though his father played for Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz and currently serves on the staff, Woods said he plans to still take his time before making any commitment decision.

“Most people assume I’m just going to be a Hawkeye automatically after getting an offer, but that is not the case. I’m really just getting started and plan to go through the process like any normal athlete would. I plan to go to camps that I want to and take visits that I want to. I just want to make the best decision for me,” Woods said.

Here’s a look at Woods’ sophomore Hudl highlights with Iowa City West. Plus, his full recruiting profile below.

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Iowa Hawkeyes offer 3-star, 2025 WR out of Saint Louis

The Iowa Hawkeyes extended an offer to three-star wide receiver Corey Simms out of Christian Brothers College in Saint Louis, Mo.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are once again focusing on the next generation of wide receivers. After last year’s signing class saw the Hawkeyes bring in three-star wide receivers Jarriett Buie, Dayton Howard, and Alex Mota, it’s time to turn the attention to the 2024 and 2025 classes. On Friday, the Hawkeyes offered class of 2025 prospect and Missouri wide receiver Corey Simms.

Simms is a 6-foot-3, 190 pound wide receiver out of Christian Brothers College preparatory school in Saint Louis, Mo. Per 247Sports, Simms is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 46 wide receiver and the No. 6 player from the state of Missouri.

Simms is the latest in a long list of wide receivers the Iowa Hawkeyes have extended offers to. Per 247Sports, Iowa has offered 14 receivers in the 2024 class alone, including Simms’ Christian Brothers College High School teammate Jeremiah McClellan. In the 2025 class, Simms marks the sixth wide receiver offered by the Hawkeyes per 247Sports.

Unfortunately, Ohio State looks like the strong favorite in the race for McClellan.

For Corey Simms though, Iowa faces stiff competition from multiple Power 5 conference programs. In addition to Iowa, fellow Big Ten schools Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin have offered.

Arkansas, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and UCF have offered as well. Simms also has offers from Alabama A&M, Ball State, Central Arkansas, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, and Western Michigan.

Clearly, the Saint Louis wideout has already turned plenty of heads and for good reason. Here’s a look at Simms’ sophomore Hudl film with Christian Brothers College. Plus, his full recruiting profile below.

Iowa Hawkeyes offer versatile 2025 athlete out of Illinois

The Iowa Hawkeyes offered 2025 athlete Burke Gautcher out of Sycamore, Ill.

Iowa linebackers coach and assistant defensive coordinator Seth Wallace has been hard at work over the offseason. As he looks for the next generation of Hawkeyes to hold down the fort in Phil Parker’s defense, Iowa has extended an offer to 2025 athlete Burke Gautcher out of Sycamore High School in Illinois.

Gautcher represents the latest in a trend of recent Iowa defensive recruits. The Hawkeyes continue looking at versatile athletes without a specific set position who they can mold into Iowa football players. A two-way player, Rivals projects Gautcher as a safety at the next level. Meanwhile, 247Sports and On3 both list Gautcher as an athlete.

On offense, he is a former quarterback turned wide receiver. Per Gautcher’s Twitter, the Sycamore, Ill., product caught 37 passes for 762 Yards and 10 touchdowns this past season. With an average of 20.59 yards per catch, Gautcher has plenty of speed and athleticism to go alongside his 6-foot-2, 195 pound frame. Per his Hudl page, Gautcher boasts a 4.55 40-yard dash time.

Currently, an unranked recruit in the 2025 class, Iowa hopes that they found a diamond in the rough in Gautcher. Right now, the Hawks are one of five schools to extend an offer, joining Illinois, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, and Kent State.

Here is a look at 2025 athlete Burke Gautcher’s sophomore highlights with Sycamore High School and his full recruiting profile below.

Iowa basketball offers Kenwood Academy 4-star SF in 2025 class

Iowa basketball extended an offer to four-star, class of 2025 small forward Aleks Alston out of the Kenwood Academy in Chicago.

The Iowa Hawkeyes added another name to keep an eye on in the 2025 class, offering four-star small forward Aleks Alston out of Kenwood Academy in Chicago.

At 6-foot-9, 170 pounds, Alston is a walking matchup problem for future opponents. Projected as a wing, Alston handles the basketball well for his size and can really shoot it.

That combination has Alston already high atop 2025 recruiting boards. Rivals ranks Alston as a four-star prospect and as the nation’s No. 46 player overall. Meanwhile, On3 also lists Alston as a four-star talent, as the No. 58 player nationally, as the No. 15 small forward and as the No. 2 player from Illinois in the 2025 class.

Iowa joins a list of offers for Alston that includes Arizona State, Bradley, Cal, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Loyola Chicago, New Mexico State, Oregon, Tulsa and Western Illinois.

Alston was recently invited to Nike’s Elite One Hundred event in Saint Louis, Mo., from June 7-11.

As SBLive’s Nate Latsch wrote back in late April, it makes sense why Alston’s recruitment is starting to heat up.

It’s easy to see why Kenwood sophomore Aleks Alston would be a hot prospect for college basketball coaches from coast to coast.

The long and lanky 6-foot-9 wing forward oozes potential and has shown the rare ability to knock down shots from the perimeter for a prospect with his size.

Alston averaged 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game over 14 contests during his sophomore season but also made 37 3-pointers, which ranked third on the team. – Latsch, SBLive.

Here’s a look at some of Alston’s highlights courtesy of GYMRATINSIDER TV on YouTube. Plus, Alston’s full recruiting profile is attached below.

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