Tag: Jacob Bostick

Former Iowa WR Jacob Bostick commits to Texas A&M Aggies

Jacob Bostick, a former wide receiver at Iowa, has committed to the Texas A&M Aggies after entering the transfer portal.

The Iowa Hawkeyes saw wide receiver Jacob Bostick enter the NCAA transfer portal earlier this spring as he chose to depart from Iowa City. The Palatine, Illinois native has chosen his next destination.

Bostick, a product of Palatine High School, told 247Sports that he has committed to the Texas A&M Aggies. The move comes on the heels of a visit to College Station and left him impressed and ready to call Texas A&M his new home.

“Obviously, they came on towards the end, but I knew from the moment I stepped — even in the car, when the coach picked me up,” he said. “I’m a Christian guy myself and there were Christian morals throughout the facility and the people, it touched my heart immediately. There was a different vibe through the facility. The energy the coaches had and the effort they put into my visit blew me away.

“They said see me competing and earning a role right away,” Bostick said. “They’re not really looking for a guy to bring in just for a depth issue, they’re bringing me in to have a role right away. I’d have to earn that for sure, but my job is to earn it, learn the offense and compete right away.” – Allen Trieu, 247Sports

Out of high school, 247Sports has Bostick as a three-star recruit and the No. 109 overall in the class of 2022. While at Iowa, Bostick did not have any statistics while appearing in five games.

Jacob Bostick has four years of eligibility remaining and joins an Aggies team that is deep at wide receiver. The Aggies currently have five juniors or seniors listed as either first or second string on the depth chart after spring ball.

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Report: Former Auburn WR will not visit Texas A&M going forward

Former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson will not visit Texas A&M moving forward

On Wednesday morning, it was announced that former Iowa redshirt freshman wide receiver Jacob Bostick will transfer to Texas A&M after one season with the Hawkeyes. The Illinois native possesses the length and catch radius to develop in new Aggie OC Collin Klein’s offense next season.

Despite the good news, Bostick’s commitment fills another open spot, leading to the news that former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson, who visited College Station last Friday, will not visit the Aggies going forward, according to Jaxson Callaway, professionally known as AggiesToday.

While the reasons for his choice are still unknown, Bostick’s announcement could have impacted his future decision, as A&M’s current wide receiver rotation with his inclusion looks complete on paper. However, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that head coach Mike Elko and his staff will still be in the market for one of the remaining receiving options before the fall.

So far this offseason, Texas A&M has lost several wide receiver portal battles, most recently, the decision of former Houston WR Sam Brown to transfer to Miami, but in the age of NIL, none of this is a surprise.

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Former Iowa WR Jacob Bostick has committed to Texas A&M

Former Iowa WR Jacob Bostick is headed to Aggieland!

Boom! Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has owned the transfer portal in his first offseason with the program, already gaining 28 players, including former Iowa wide receiver Jacob Bostick, who visited Ole Miss last weekend before ultimately making his final decision.

For the last two months, Elko and his staff have been looking to add more talent to the position. Starting quarterback Conner Weigman needs reliability in the passing game to reach his potential, as his season-ending injury last season derailed what is still a bright future in the pocket.

Yes, Iowa’s offense was by far the worst unit in college football last season, but that has nothing to do with Bostick, who redshirted during his only season with the Hawkeyes.

Coming out of Illinois, Bostick was a three-star prospect and one of the top-ranked players in the Midwest. He received almost 20 offers before ultimately choosing the Hawkeyes. According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu, Bostick’s size and play style are similar to that of former Texas A&M standout wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who set numerous records over his three-year career.

Still, Elko and his staff might not be finished, as former Auburn wide receiver Ja’Varrius Johnson visited College Station last Friday. Bostick enters the perfect situation, coached by Aggies WR coach Holmon Wiggins and offensive coordinator Collin Klein.

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Texas A&M has offered former Iowa wide receiver out of the transfer portal

Former Iowa wide receiver Jacob Bostick has received an offer from Texas A&M

What has become a daily occurrence is that Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko have offered another wide receiver from the transfer portal, as former Iowa pass catcher Jacob Bostick is not considering the Aggies among several other suitors.

Iowa’s offense was by far the worst in the country last season. Bostick barely saw the field without recording a single reception, but that doesn’t diminish his potential contribution to a functional offense in 2024.

Coming out of Illinois, Bostick was a three-star prospect and one of the top-ranked players in the Midwest. He received almost 20 offers before ultimately choosing the Hawkeyes. According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu, Bostick’s size and play style are similar to that of former Texas A&M standout wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who set numerous records over his three-year career.

After hosting former Auburn WR Ja’Varrius Johnson on Friday, Elko and his staff are still in contact with several high-profile receivers, including former Arizona State WR Elijhah Badger.

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Iowa Hawkeyes WR Jacob Bostick enters NCAA transfer portal

The spring window of the transfer portal has opened. Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Jacob Bostick has announced he has entered the portal.

The spring window of the NCAA transfer portal has opened and the Iowa Hawkeyes have seen their first departure. Wide receiver Jacob Bostick has announced that he is entering the transfer portal.

The sophomore out of Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois spent two years with the Hawkeyes’ program. Bostick redshirted in 2022 and appeared in five games during the 2023 season but did not register any statistics. He carries four years of eligibility with him.

“I would like to thank Coach Ferentz and the entire coaching staff, as I’ve grown and learned a lot – it has truly been a blessing to be a Hawkeye. Special thanks to Coach Copeland for believing in me and pushing me to be the best in all aspects of my life. And to Kammy, the doctors and the best training staff – thank you for all you have done for me, I will never forget it. Lastly, I would like to thank my teammates, the fans and the Children’s Hospital for making these past two years so special. With that being said and prayerful consideration, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal with four years of eligibility remaining. I’m excited to take this leap of faith into this new chapter,” Bostick said via his social media announcement.

Coming out of high school, Bostick was a three-star recruit, the No. 89 WR, and the No. 11 recruit from Illinois per 247Sports Composite rankings. Bostick’s other offers out of high school included Illinois, Louisville, Air Force, Army, Navy, six MAC schools, Cincinatti, and Pittsburgh to name a few.

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247Sports tabs Iowa wide receivers as position group with most potential improvement

Iowa’s wide receiver room could experience a big breakout in 2023, but only if given the right play from quarterback Cade McNamara.

Out of all the positional groups to watch out for on the Iowa football team, the wide receivers room may be the one to keep an eye on.

After experiencing a ton of change over the offseason, Iowa has reloaded its pass-catching room with a bunch of young, up-and-coming talents. In Sean Bock’s superlatives for every position group ahead of fall camp for Hawkeye Insider of 247Sports, he listed wide receiver as the one with the “most potential improvement.”

Iowa used the transfer portal this offseason to fill missing pieces at wide receiver as it landed Charleston Southern transfer Seth Anderson and Ohio State transfer, Kaleb Brown.

Anderson was the Big South Offensive Player of the Year as a redshirt freshman while Brown was a former four-star recruit, and any wide receiver that is recruited heavily by Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline has the chance to be a game-changer in any offense.

Brown and Anderson were two missing pieces that Iowa needed. An X receiver would’ve been ideal, but Anderson and Brown both have big-time playmaking ability and that’s something Iowa needs. – Bock, Hawkeye Insider.

The wide receiver room is a good mix of these newly transferred in talents such as Seth Anderson and Kaleb Brown, and returning experience. The Hawkeyes bring back Nico Ragaini for his sixth year and will hope Diante Vines can stay healthy and make an impact.

As for returners, Nico Ragaini and Diante Vines will play big roles for the Hawkeyes. Ragaini is the team leader this fall, and could have a 2019-esque year with Cade McNamara under center. Vines has been hindered by injuries throughout his career, but he was one of the top performers in fall camp last year before going down with an injury. Jacob Bostick should also get a mention, too, but he needs to stay healthy. – Bock, Hawkeye Insider.

I think bringing up Cade McNamara is vital, because the quarterback plays a huge role in how effective the wide receivers are. There definitely was talent at the position last year, and I still think Keagan Johnson can be a breakout star for Kansas State this year.

It’s just really hard to show any of that talent when the quarterback cannot reliably make the throws. Combine that with injuries, and you have a wide receiver room that I think looked worse than what they really were. It’s no shock that Charlie Jones immediately became one of the best receivers in the nation the minute he left Iowa.

Iowa will undoubtably have talent at receiver again. We know Nico Ragaini is reliable, and Kaleb Brown has the potential to be the best receiver at Iowa since… ever. What they need is a quarterback who can get the job done, step up and make the throws, and not put a massive handicap on the offense.

If Cade McNamara can be that guy, then sure, this group of pass catchers could certainly make some noise in 2023.

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Iowa Hawkeyes to open season minus RB Gavin Williams, WR Keagan Johnson

Iowa opens the 2022 season minus its top running back and top wide receiver in running back Gavin Williams and wide receiver Keagan Johnson.

Reports surfaced just before kickoff of the 2022 season opener against South Dakota State that the Iowa Hawkeyes would be without their top running back and arguably their top wide receiver in running back Gavin Williams and wide receiver Keagan Johnson, respectively.

According to Hawk Central’s Chad Leistikow, it sounds like an ankle injury that is sidelining Williams. Meanwhile, Johnson has been dealing with injuries all throughout the offseason and now he is set to miss the Hawkeyes’ opener per the Iowa communication staff.

With Iowa already minus one of its other top wide receivers in Nico Ragaini for several weeks to start 2022, it feels like the Hawkeyes have taken several bullets before the season has even started. It does present an opportunity for a pair of walk-on receivers in Alec Wick and Jack Johnson to potentially star in the opener against the Jackrabbits. Perhaps Jacob Bostick as well.

Iowa has also lost wide receiver Jackson Ritter for the season and fellow wide receiver Diante Vines is out for probably the first half of the season as well.

In terms of wide receivers, Johnson and Ragaini were No. 1 and No. 2 for Iowa in 2021 in receiving yardage. Johnson finished with 18 grabs for 352 yards, while Ragaini registered 26 receptions for 331. Naturally, that’s some important production to try to replace in the opener versus a talented FCS team in South Dakota State.

Williams was Iowa’s No. 2 running back last year and finished the season with 65 rushes for 305 yards. While Gavin Williams entered as Iowa’s No. 1 running back on the depth chart this year, Leshon Williams was expected to factor in heavily. Now, he gets the chance as Iowa’s featured runner in the opener.

After Leshon Williams, look for the freshmen running backs Jaziun Patterson and Kaleb Johnson to see some carries as well.

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Iowa Hawkeyes seeing multiple freshmen impressing in 2022 fall camp

It’s great news for the present and the future. Several freshmen have been making a statement throughout fall camp for the Hawkeyes.

Fall camp is the perfect venue to gauge where young players stand heading into the season. While much of the attention will be placed on the projected starters, camp presents a unique opportunity for growth and exposure for the next generation of Hawkeyes. Through injury replacement and general rotation, several young players have shown the potential for an early impact this season.

As Hawk Central’s Kennington Lloyd Smith touched on, multiple freshmen have already shown flashes despite the abrupt adjustment to the rigors of Big Ten competition. Due to an injury that has kept likely starting running back Gavin Williams off the field the past week, redshirt sophomore Leshon Williams has received a bulk of the first team carries. Leshon Williams’ stock is reportedly rising internally amongst the Hawkeyes.

Freshman running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson both took advantage of the opportunity, combining for an unofficial 21 carries during the Kids’ Day scrimmage. Both have sparingly received first-team reps in practice. Gavin Williams is back at practice but it would be reassuring to know there are capable runners behind him, whether it is in relief or to complement his play.

Wide receiver Jacob Bostick is another seizing his opportunity, learning multiple receiver positions.

Due to low numbers, Bostick is playing all three of Iowa’s receiver positions during camp. Wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland said Bostick has shown promise over the last few practices, and he worked heavily with the team’s second and third units on Saturday’s scrimmage. When healthy, the Hawkeyes feel good about their top three options. But if injuries continue, the speedy Bostick could be counted on to play early. – Lloyd Smith, Hawk Central.

While the availability of field time might not be as frequent on the defensive side of the ball, a trio of freshmen look to be in the Hawkeyes’ future plans. Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said after the Kids’ Day scrimmage that the Hawkeyes would be silly to redshirt defensive lineman Aaron Graves. Defensive backs Xavier Nwankpa and T.J. Hall have taken advantage of their early start with Iowa so far, too.

The benefits of Hall and Nwankpa early enrolling were two-fold: They got a head start on learning the system and they arrived at a time when there were injuries in the secondary, allowing for more reps during spring practice. Both feel like they’re much more comfortable in fall camp. – Lloyd Smith, Hawk Central.

Hall currently figures to be in the second group of cornerbacks, while Nwankpa continues to develop as a safety behind veterans Quinn Schulte and Reggie Bracy. Safety is one of the key positions for the Iowa defense. The CASH position, a role that Nwankpa easily projects to in the future, has seen some of the biggest stars on defense in recent years.

Amani Hooker and Dane Belton were both first-team All-Big Ten members in that role. The CASH spot requires not only high-level skill and athleticism, but communication, the key adjustment for Nwankpa in his first offseason in Iowa City.

Iowa is bringing back a ton of starters this year, especially on the defense. It is why there is a lot of buzz around the team as a contender for the Big Ten West division yet again. It is not just about the experienced players, though. If the new blood of the Iowa program can find ways to contribute right away despite the massive adjustment to Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes will be better off from it both now and in the coming years.

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Why Iowa’s wide receiver group will survive, and even thrive, after Charlie Jones’ departure

Let’s analyze the Hawkeyes’ receivers after the departure of Charlie Jones and see why the group won’t just survive, but thrive post-Jones.

Yeah, Charlie Jones left the Iowa Hawkeyes unexpectedly and went to Purdue. So what? It happened. It’s over. No point in crying over spilled milk. Time to move on from his contributions to the Hawkeyes and take a look at the receiver group that can, and will, pick up that slack.

As Hawk Central discussed, the receiver group really can be sorted into three groups. More or less, it is the known contributors of Keagan Johnson, Arland Bruce IV, and Nico Ragaini in one group. After that, we find a group that could best be described as having the talent and potential yet just awaiting the opportunity. That includes sophomores Brody Brecht and Diante Vines along with incoming freshman Jacob Bostick.

Last, but certainly not least, and even more so in Iowa, there are walk-ons that could blossom. That group includes Jackson Ritter, who has seen time, Kaden Wetjen, who chose Iowa over scholarship offers, Jack Johnson, and Alec Wick.

Johnson, Bruce IV, and Ragaini will continue their ways of being the main guys in the offense. Johnson and Bruce IV saw significant playing time as last season went on and that may have been the writing on the wall for Jones to depart.

He may have been passed up by those two. Ragaini has been a consistent receiver for Iowa the last three seasons. Combined, the three contributed 69 receptions for 767 yards and seven touchdown grabs in 2021 and those numbers should only increase. This group will be more than fine.

Brody Brecht and Diante Vines have the luxury of a year in Iowa’s system and an understanding of the playbook. As it’s very well known, experience is important regardless of position on a Kirk Ferentz team.

Vines was a sparkplug in the open spring practice as he reeled in a long touchdown from Alex Padilla. Vines could join Johnson and Bruce IV as the next young receiver to have his number relied upon.

Bostick joins Iowa as the only incoming scholarship wide receiver. That alone shows a lot about his talent and what the staff thinks he can bring to the table. In no world would it be surprising for one or multiple of these receivers to prove themselves and provide some significant outputs to the Hawkeyes’ offense.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is maybe my favorite group: the walk-ons. This group is not just a bunch of guys who were good in high school. There is serious talent here.

Starting with Jackson Ritter, he’s seen live action and even contributed. He is no stranger to the field and the staff’s trust in him with his experience could be relied on if anyone goes down or he steps up, which he is more than capable of.

Kaden Wetjen comes to Iowa from Iowa Western where he spent two years. He averaged 25 yards per catch. Yes, that is correct. Seriously, 25 yards per catch.

He has big-play ability and one would be naive to think he chose to join Iowa as a walk-on over scholarship offers from Central Arkansas, Southern Illinois, and others. Wetjen believes he can play at this level and as has been shown many times before, Iowa is a place where walk-ons come to be great.

Alec Wick and Jack Johnson round out the receiving group. Johnson redshirted last year after a high school career that saw him earn All-State honors. Wick also redshirted. His senior year saw him haul in 75 receptions for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns. These two aren’t any walk-ons. They can play.

So, yes, Charlie Jones did leave. But, there is every reason to believe this group doesn’t need to reload. The Iowa Hawkeyes receivers have rebuilt. Rebuilt themselves stronger, more experienced, and ready to take the next step in 2022.

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