Tag: Kendrick Raphael

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.

2023 OT target Christopher Terek picks up pair of 247Sports crystal ball predictions to Iowa Hawkeyes

A pair of 247Sports experts put in crystal ball predictions for three-star offensive tackle Christopher Terek to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa has some serious momentum on the recruiting trail. After its largest and most important recruiting weekend of the year, the Hawkeyes already picked up a commitment from talented, four-star offensive tackle Trevor Lauck out of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Ind.

Lauck’s commitment comes on the heels of fellow June pledges from 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).

These decisions from Caulker, Lauck, Leonard and Raphael bring Iowa’s current commitment total in the 2023 class to a baker’s dozen. According to 247Sports, the Hawkeyes’ 13 commitments comprise the nation’s No. 17 class. Meanwhile, Rivals rates Iowa’s 2023 class No. 18 nationally and On3 ranks the Hawkeyes’ current commits as the No. 29 class.

Across those respective team rankings, Iowa has the Big Ten’s No. 5 class according to 247Sports, the Big Ten’s No. 6 class according to Rivals and the Big Ten’s No. 6 class according to On3.

According to a pair of 247Sports experts, it should be about to get even better. 247Sports’ Sam Webb of TheMichiganInsider and David Eickholt of HawkeyeInsider both submitted crystal ball predictions for three-star offensive tackle Christopher Terek to commit to the Hawkeyes on June 23 and June 24, respectively. On3’s EJ Holland also put in a prediction for Terek to Iowa on June 20.

Terek was on hand this past weekend for Iowa’s big recruiting weekend and he is deciding between Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. The 6-foot-6, 295 pound offensive tackle 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.

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.

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.

4-star running back Kendrick Raphael commits to the Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa’s latest addition to its 2023 recruiting class is a ballyhooed one. Four-star running back Kendrick Raphael announced his commitment.

The Iowa Hawkeyes just won a big-time recruiting battle against North Carolina State to land four-star running back Kendrick Raphael out of Naples High School in Naples, Fla.

The 5-foot-11, 180 pound running back visited Iowa City over the weekend and Iowa running backs coach Ladell Betts and the Hawkeyes made the most of their opportunity to pitch Raphael on donning the black and gold. Raphael committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday night, becoming the 11th pledge in the 2023 class.

Raphael carried 126 times for 1,374 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season for Naples High School.

According to On3, Raphael is a four-star talent, the nation’s No. 252 player overall, the No. 14 running back and the No. 48 player from the state of Florida in the 2023 cycle. Rivals and ESPN also each list Raphael as a four-star running back.

Rivals ranks Raphael as the No. 15 running back in the 2023 class and as the No. 50 player from the Sunshine State. Meanwhile, ESPN lists Raphael as the No. 28 running back and the No. 79 player from Florida.

Lastly, 247Sports ranks Raphael as a three-star prospect, the country’s No. 31 running back and the No. 88 player from Florida. However, in the 247Sports composite rankings, Raphael again is listed as a four-star running back. The 247Sports composite rankings regard Raphael as the nation’s No. 343 player nationally, the No. 22 running back and the No. 64 player from Florida.

As mentioned, Iowa won out over N.C. State. The Hawkeyes also beat out offers from schools such as Boston College, BYU, Duke, Iowa State, Louisville, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

“I want to say how grateful I am to be blessed by God to be put in the position I am in, without him none of this would be possible. I am so very grateful for all the schools that have recruited me to be a part of their program.

“I want to thank my coaches, friends, teammates, family and especially my mom for making me the person I am today. The endless support from y’all means more than you ever know. With that being said… I am 100% committed to the University of Iowa,” Raphael wrote in his commitment announcement on Twitter.

Let’s take a look at Raphael’s Hudl highlights from his junior season at Naples High School, his full commitment profile and the rest of the Hawkeyes’ 2023 class below.

A look at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 2023 visitors this weekend

Who all is visiting Iowa this weekend and what type of a chance do the Hawkeyes have with each?

As the countdown continues to the start of Iowa’s 2022 football season, that also means the Hawkeyes are beginning to zero in on the early December signing period for the 2023 class.

Iowa’s 2023 class already looks like a good one, but, of course, the Hawkeyes would love to continue adding pieces to it as the summer rolls along. According to Rivals and 247Sports, the Hawkeyes’ 10 commits comprise the nation’s No. 16 class.

Iowa’s 2023 class is currently regarded as the fifth-best Big Ten class by both Rivals and 247Sports as well. Meanwhile, On3 rates the Hawkeyes’ 2023 class thus far as the country’s No. 31 class and as the sixth-best in the Big Ten.

Who all is visiting Iowa this weekend and where do the Hawkeyes stand with each? Let’s take a look below.