Tag: John Nestor

Phil Parker breaks down Iowa football’s cornerback competition

Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker broke down his thoughts on the Hawkeyes’ cornerback competition.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a healthy competition underway at cornerback.

Graduate cornerback Jermari Harris is locked in as one of the returning starters for the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-1, 189 pound corner from Chicago has appeared in 32 games and started 18 over the past two seasons.

Iowa has three options it feels good about opposite Harris as its other potential starting cornerback. Sophomore Deshaun Lee started six games last season and performed well in his opportunities. Lee was listed as Iowa’s starting cornerback opposite Harris during the spring.

Junior TJ Hall and sophomore John Nestor are both serious options as Iowa’s other starting cornerback, too, though. Nestor, a 5-foot-11, 196 pound defensive back, was listed atop Iowa’s depth chart to start fall camp.

With fall camp ending and game week arriving, Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker shared some of his thoughts on how the cornerback competition is shaping up.

“Well, I think it’s really interesting. Jermari Harris has come back and the leadership that he’s brung and seeing TJ Hall grow and improve his standard of play. Nestor, he’s really doing a good job, very competitive out there and Deshaun Lee’s doing a heck of a job.

“So, I mean, it’s really interesting to see those four over there. One day one guy might have a better day than the other guy. It’s depending on what day and, at the point of attack, how productive are they? But, I think they’re all into it, they’re all working hard and you can see maybe playing more guys in the back end if you have to,” Parker said.

Asked if Nestor reminded him of former Hawkeye and current Denver Bronco Riley Moss, Parker said he does.

“They’re both probably the same kind of personality a little bit and you’ve just got to calm John down a little bit at times. Hey, just relax a little bit. He’s full go all the time just like Riley was. So, it’s nice to have those guys. You want those guys. Just give me effort, make sure you give me effort. I can deal with everything else,” Parker said.

Parker wasn’t ready to tip his hand on who would be starting in the season’s opening week, though.

“You never know until the day of the game. You know what I mean? I got a good idea. I got a list of guys and rank them, but things change every day with us throughout the practice. This guy could jump ahead of the guy. Most likely I know who we’re going to be,” Parker said.

Throughout camp, Parker has tried to minimize some of the workload on his veteran defensive backs and get younger players reps.

“Jermari’s taken a lot. I try to save guys, the wear and tear on them, so sometimes I’ll give a younger guy more reps so they can get the more experience. I know it’s not a game situation, but that’s what we’re trying to do is make sure that everybody’s playing enough. Because, if you lose a guy, you want to be able to plug a guy in, but you don’t want to lose anything there,” Parker said.

Based on the sounds of it, this is a competition that will continue until Iowa’s season kicks off and maybe several games in. Parker and the Hawkeyes also sound comfortable perhaps rotating more at cornerback in 2024.

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Pro Football Focus asks if Iowa football boasts best secondary in America

It’s a no-fly zone in Iowa City.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been and are still built upon their defense. It is just how they play the game and how they win a lot of them.

The defense entering 2024 could be primed up to be one of the best they have had in years, despite a historic run of NFL talent coming and going from the ranks. The 2024 Iowa defense is highlighted by eight returning starters.

A large part of the experience and talent of this defense comes in the secondary where Iowa is returning veterans. They bring back safeties Quinn Schulte and Xavier Nwankpa, deploy CASH defender Sebastian Castro, and have a quarter of Deshaun Lee, Jermari Harris, TJ Hall, and John Nestor manning the cornerback position.

With that, Pro Football Focus has begun asking if the Iowa Hawkeyes and defensive coordinator Phil Parker boast the best secondary in all of America heading into 2024.

Nestor did not see defensive time last year as a true freshman, but the other five saw considerable snaps and each graded out above 70 per Pro Football Focus.

The group combines for 84 starts in their careers with appearances in a combined 170 games. This group has seen a lot of different offenses and has incredible depth.

The six defensive backs have 13 interceptions and 54 pass breakups to their names. The group gets their hands on the ball and when they do, they make opposing cornerbacks pay.

Iowa has the potential to be a very good team in 2024. With a strong year from this secondary, they have the ability to be the best in America and elevate this team to great.

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Kenneth Merrieweather grabs third 247Sports crystal ball prediction to the Iowa Hawkeyes

247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong put in the third crystal ball prediction for 2023 EDGE Kenneth Merrieweather to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports’ director of football recruiting, submitted the third crystal ball prediction for class of 2023 EDGE Kenneth Merrieweather to commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Merrieweather was on hand for the Hawkeyes’ big recruiting weekend and apparently the intel Wiltfong heard coming out of the weekend was enough to swing the pendulum in Iowa’s direction. According to 247Sports, Merrieweather’s top two choices are Iowa and Purdue. That duo is listed as “warm” in his interests section.

Wiltfong joins fellow 247Sports colleagues Allen Trieu and Sean Bock of HawkeyeInsider as experts that have crystal ball predictions in for Merrieweather to the Hawkeyes. Trieu submitted his crystal ball prediction on April 24 and Bock submitted his on April 28.

The fact that Wiltfong felt ready to join those two projections following Merrieweather’s official visit to Iowa seems significant. In addition to Iowa and Purdue, Merrieweather also holds Power Five offers from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse.

According to 247Sports, the 6-foot-3, 235 pound EDGE out of Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Mich., is a three-star recruit, the No. 50 EDGE and the No. 14 player from Michigan. On3 rates Merrieweather as a three-star talent, the No. 75 EDGE and the No. 15 player from Michigan.

Over the weekend, both Tom Kakert and Blair Sanderson of Rivals put in FutureCasts for Merrieweather to Iowa as well. According to Rivals, Merrieweather is a three-star recruit and the No. 18 player from Michigan.

Thanks to recent June commitments from offensive tackles Trevor Lauck and Cannon Leonard, running back Kendrick Raphael and EDGE David Caulker, the Hawkeyes currently own the nation’s No. 17 recruiting class according to 247Sports and the No. 20 class according to Rivals.

Here’s a look at Merrieweather’s junior season Hudl highlights at Martin Luther King High School, a glance at his full recruiting profile and the Hawkeyes’ entire list of 2023 commits.

4-star 2023 OT Trevor Lauck commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes, becomes 13th commit

Four-star offensive tackle Trevor Lauck committed to Iowa, fortifying the Hawkeyes up front and representing the 13th pledge so far.

A big recruiting weekend for Iowa has already netted the Hawkeyes their first commitment. Class of 2023 offensive tackle Trevor Lauck announced his pledge to the Hawkeyes Sunday evening. He is a 6-foot-6, 285 pound from Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Ind.

According to Rivals, Lauck is a four-star commit, the nation’s No. 229 player overall, the No. 25 offensive tackle, and the No. 3 player from Indiana. In the 247Sports composite rankings, Lauck is also regarded as a four-star commit, the No. 396 player nationally, the No. 33 offensive tackle and the No. 5 player from the Hoosier State.

ESPN and On3 both rate Lauck as a three-star commit. According to On3, Lauck is the nation’s No. 40 interior offensive lineman and the No. 8 player from Indiana. The On3 consensus rankings has Lauck as the country’s No. 441 player overall and as the No. 34 interior offensive lineman. Finally, ESPN rates Lauck as the No. 48 offensive tackle and the No. 5 player from Indiana.

“I’d like to thank God for putting me in the position I am in and for the blessings he’s gifted me with. I want to thank my mom, dad, family, and friends for everything they do for me and their endless support. Thank you coach Otley, Rodenberg, Quintana, and all the Roncalli staff. I want to thank each coach that has recruited me and built a relationship with me throughout the process. With that being said, I am committed to the University of Iowa! Go Hawkeyes!!!” Lauck wrote in his Twitter announcement.

Lauck represents the 13th commitment in Iowa’s 2023 class that currently ranks No. 17 nationally according to 247Sports and No. 18 according to Rivals. The Hawkeyes’ class is headlined in part by quarterback commit Marco Lainez III, who recently detailed why he’s remained loyal to Iowa.

Lauck also joins three-star offensive linemen Leighton Jones and Cannon Leonard. Here’s a look at Lauck’s junior season Hudl tape at Roncalli High School and a look at his full recruiting profile.

2023 EDGE David Caulker commits, becomes Iowa Hawkeyes’ 10th pledge

Iowa’s 2023 recruiting class expanded to double-figures with the commitment of three-star edge rusher David Caulker of North High School.

After visiting Iowa during the spring, class of 2023 edge rusher and defensive end David Caulker was back on campus for the Hawkeyes’ recent football camp. The 6-foot-4, 256 pound defensive lineman is out of North High School in Des Moines, Iowa.

After impressing the coaching staff, Caulker picked up that elusive offer from the Hawkeyes. It didn’t take long for him to make a decision either. He committed to Iowa on the same day.

HawkeyeInsider’s David Eickholt detailed Caulker’s commitment over on 247Sports with analysis from his colleague, Allen Trieu.

“Caulker is a high ceiling player. He is still raw but his body type and twitch are what you want in a Big Ten defensive line prospect,” 247Sports’ Allen Trieu told HawkeyeInsider. “Iowa is a place that can develop him and craft those tools. It is a good match for both sides but I am not surprised he has gone on the offer run he has recently because defensive linemen with his skill set are tough to find.” – Eickholt, HawkeyeInsider.

According to 247Sports, Caulker is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 77 edge rusher and the No. 10 player from the state of Iowa. Rivals also lists Caulker as a three-star talent. He also had offers from Iowa State, Kent State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa.

“First off, I would love to thank my parents for bringing me into this world. Then I would love to thank my teammates, coaches and staff at North High School. I would not have gotten this far without you.

“I would also like to thank any coach who has ever recruited me, I will be forever grateful for the belief you had in me! Finally, I would like to thank Coach Addy, Coach Niemann, and Coach Bell; the impact you’ve had on my life is immeasurable! With that being said, I am 110 percent committed to continuing my academic and football career at the University of Iowa,” Caulker wrote in his commitment announcement.

Caulker becomes the 10th Hawkeye commit in the 2023 class. The full look at Iowa’s 2023 class is below.

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Aidan Hall commits to Iowa, represents the Hawkeyes’ ninth 2023 commit

Aidan Hall committed to Iowa and became the Hawkeyes’ ninth 2023 commit. What does he add to an already impressive class?

Aidan Hall picked up an offer from Iowa on May 13 and a trio of experts across 247Sports and Rivals quickly forecasted that he would wind up committing to the Hawkeyes.

Now, that’s officially how it’s played out. Hall committed to Iowa, becoming the Hawkeyes’ ninth pledge in the 2023 recruiting class. Here’s a look at Iowa’s full 2023 commitment tracker.

According to 247Sports, Hall is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 110 athlete and the No. 13 player from Iowa. Hall also represents the fifth in-state commitment for the Hawkeyes.

The 6-foot-2, 200 pound athlete joins athlete Alex Mota of Marion High School, linebacker Ben Kueter of Iowa City High School, defensive lineman Maddux Borcherding-Johnson of Norwalk High School and Zach Lutmer of Central Lyon High School.

Iowa’s other commitments include quarterback Marco Lainez III from the Hun School in Princeton, N.J., defensive end Chase Brackney from Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colo., offensive lineman Leighton Jones from Brownsburg High School in Indiana, and cornerback John Nestor from Marist High School in Chicago, Ill.

While Hall is listed as an athlete by 247Sports, Rivals lists Hall as a safety. Penciling in where Hall will fit in with the Hawkeyes is interesting to think about.

Last season with Harlan Community High School, Hall carried 94 times for 777 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns, caught 32 passes for 755 receiving yards and had seven receiving touchdowns. He also totaled 29.5 tackles and three interceptions, so he has the skillset to slide in as an offensive skill player or in the Hawkeyes’ defensive backfield.

Iowa has shown that it’s not afraid to move players from one side of the football to the other if the coaching staff feels it could help a player earn more snaps.

The important news for the Hawkeyes is that Iowa now has the ninth piece to its 2023 class and Hall is a talented puzzle piece to add to the fold. According to 247Sports, Iowa currently owns the nation’s No. 17 recruiting class in the 2023 cycle. Rivals rates the Hawkeyes’ class No. 20 nationally and the No. 26 class according to On3.

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Iowa Hawkeyes offer 2023 cornerback Bo Mascoe from Florida

Bo Mascoe, a three-star Florida cornerback according to 247Sports and On3, picked up an offer from the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa is looking for more in its defensive backfield after landing its second commit from a secondary player in Zach Lutmer. Lutmer joins defensive back John Nestor as a pair of 2023 secondary prospects that have committed to the Hawkeyes.

Iowa is hoping that cornerback Bo Mascoe can join that group before long. The 5-foot-10, 165 pound corner from Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Fla., picked up an offer from the Hawkeye coaching staff.

According to 247Sports, Mascoe is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 95 cornerback and the 134th-ranked player from Florida in the 2023 class. On3 rates Mascoe as a three-star talent as well. In the On3 consensus rankings, Mascoe is ranked as the country’s No. 968 player overall, the No. 91 cornerback and the No. 141 player from the Sunshine State.

Iowa joins Rutgers as the second Power Five school to extend an offer to Mascoe. The Florida product also has offers from Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Western Kentucky and has seen interest from Miami (Ohio).

According to MaxPreps, Mascoe finished his junior season at Osceola High School with 41 tackles, 11 passes defensed, seven interceptions and a fumble recovery. He also worked as a kick returner for Osceola High School. Between interception and kick returns, Mascoe had four touchdowns during the 2021 season.

Iowa currently has the nation’s No. 15 class according to 247Sports and ESPN, the No. 18 class according to Rivals and the No. 24 class according to On3.

Here’s a look at Mascoe’s junior season Hudl highlights at Osceola High School.

2023 ATH Zach Lutmer commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes

Zach Lutmer, a three-star recruit according to 247Sports, committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Lutmer is the eighth commitment in the 2023 class.

It didn’t take long for 2023 athlete Zach Lutmer to make a decision. After receiving his first FBS and Power Five offer from Iowa, Lutmer took all of one day to announce his commitment to the Hawkeyes.

“Excited to announce that I am committed to play football at the University of Iowa! This would not be possible without the support from my family, coaches and community! #GOHAWKS,” Lutmer wrote in his Twitter announcement.

The 6-foot-1, 190 pound athlete out of Central Lyon High School in Rock Rapids, Iowa, is projected as a defensive back at the next level. Rivals and On3 both list Lutmer as a safety.

Meanwhile, 247Sports lists Lutmer as an athlete. 247Sports is the only recruiting service that currently has a star ranking for Lutmer. According to 247Sports, Lutmer is a three-star recruit, the nation’s No. 147 athlete and the 17th-best player from Iowa in the 2023 class.

He also held offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State and was drawing interest from both Iowa State and Minnesota. Last season at Central Lyon High School, Lutmer registered 1,016 passing yards, 1,246 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns on offense and 46.5 tackles and four interceptions on defense.

Lutmer becomes Iowa’s eighth commit overall in the 2023 class and joins Marion High School athlete Alex Mota, Iowa City High School linebacker Ben Kueter and Norwalk High School defensive lineman Maddux Borcherding-Johnson as in-state products that have pledged commitments to the Hawkeyes.

Iowa’s other commitments include Hun School quarterback Marco Lainez III out of New Jersey, Cherry Creek High School EDGE Chase Brackney out of Colorado, Brownsburg High School offensive lineman Leighton Jones out of Indiana and Marist High School defensive back John Nestor out of Illinois.

Here’s a look at Lutmer’s junior season Hudl highlights and his commitment profile.

Iowa Hawkeyes offer 2023 ATH Zach Lutmer, earn crystal ball prediction

The Iowa Hawkeyes offered class of 2023 athlete Zach Lutmer and picked up a 247Sports crystal ball prediction from Sean Bock.

Iowa extended an offer to class of 2023 athlete Zach Lutmer. The 6-foot-1, 190 pound athlete is an in-state product out of Central Lyon High School in Rock Rapids, Iowa.

According to 247Sports, Lutmer is a three-star recruit, the nation’s 147th athlete overall and the No. 17 player from the state of Iowa. Rivals and On3 both list Lutmer as a safety.

The offer from the Hawkeyes represents Lutmer’s first FBS offer according to 247Sports. He also holds offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State and has drawn interest from Iowa State and Minnesota.

Shortly after he received his offer, HawkeyeInsider’s Sean Bock of 247Sports submitted a crystal ball prediction for Lutmer to land with Iowa. HawkeyeReport’s Blair Sanderson and Tom Kakert each issued Rivals FutureCasts for Lutmer to choose Iowa as well.

Lutmer discussed his Hawkeye offer with Sanderson, noting he was surprised the offer came before a summer camp visit. Lutmer said he is “super interested in Iowa” and that the coaching staff feels he can play any of the Hawkeyes’ three safety positions.

Sanderson also touched on some of Lutmer’s statistical numbers from this past season at Central Lyon High School in his breakdown of the offer.

A versatile, multisport athlete, Lutmer finished his junior year with 1,016 yards passing, 1,246 yards rushing, and 30 touchdowns on offense and 46.5 tackles and four interceptions on defense, which is where he likely projects in college. – Sanderson, HawkeyeReport.

The Hawkeyes already have one secondary player committed in their 2023 class, defensive back John Nestor out of Marist High School in Chicago, Ill. Nestor committed to the Hawkeyes on April 4, but Iowa would surely love to add a pledge from Lutmer to pair with Nestor.

Here’s a look at Lutmer’s junior season Hudl highlights at Central Lyon High School.

Iowa Hawkeyes offer 3-star 2023 offensive tackle Christopher Terek

The Iowa Hawkeyes offered class of 2023 three-star offensive tackle Christopher Terek out of Glenbard West High School in Illinois.

Iowa is back active in the 2023 class, offering offensive tackle Christopher Terek out of Glenbard West High School in Illinois. The 6-foot-6, 295 pound offensive tackle is regarded as a three-star prospect according to both 247Sports and Rivals.

According to 247Sports, Terek is the nation’s No. 116 offensive tackle and Illinois’ No. 40 player. The 247Sports composite rankings see Terek ranked as the nation’s No. 891 player, No. 79 offensive tackle and No. 21 player from Illinois.

247Sports reports 20 offers for Terek, including nine Power Five offers. In addition to Iowa, Power Five programs Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin have offered.

Terek also holds offers from Air Force, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Kent State, Maine, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois and Western Michigan.

Hawkeye Nation’s Rob Howe caught up with Terek to discuss his offer from Iowa. Terek impressed at the Hawkeyes’ summer camp last year, but there were concerns about his weight. When Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett got a look at him during Tuesday’s workout, he saw a player that had trimmed down from 352 to 295 pounds. Combined with his impressive showing last summer, it was enough to convince the Iowa staff to extend the offer.

The Hawkeyes currently possess the nation’s No. 15 class according to 247Sports and ESPN, the No. 18 class according to Rivals, the No. 24 class according to On3. The class currently includes quarterback Marco Lainez III, defensive end and EDGE Chase Brackney, athlete Alex Mota, linebacker Ben Kueter, offensive lineman Leighton Jones, defensive back John Nestor and defensive lineman Maddux Borcherding-Johnson.

Adding Terek to pair with Jones along the offensive line would be terrific news for the Hawkeyes. HawkeyeReport’s Tom Kakert and Blair Sanderson believe that will be the case. The pair of Iowa reporters for Rivals both issued FutureCasts for Terek to land with the Hawkeyes.

Here’s a look at Terek’s junior season Hudl highlights from Glenbard West High School.