Ad Disclosure
Iowa football: Ranking the Hawkeyes’ 2019 recruiting class by position group
By Tom Brew
Published:
Iowa’s 2019 recruiting class is ranked No. 38 in the 247Sports team composite rankings after the first day of the Early Signing Period that runs Wednesday through Friday. In the Big Ten, they Hawkeyes are ranked ninth out of 14 teams, and finished behind Big Ten West opponents Nebraska, Wisconsin, Purdue and Minnesota after the first day.
It’s a step down from a year ago, when Iowa had the No. 8-ranked class in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have a 20-member class signed at the moment, and there are three 4-star recruits and 17 3-star recruits.
Here’s how we rank the Hawkeyes’ class by position:
No. 1: Offensive line
4-stars: Ezra Miller, OT, Holstein, Iowa; Tyler Endres, OT, Norwalk, Iowa:
3-stars: Justin Britt, OG, Indianapolis; Noah Fenske, OG, New Hampton, Iowa.
Skinny: Miller is a small-town Iowa kid, but he’s the perfect kind of recruit that Iowa coaches have loved through the years. He’s huge (6-foot-6, 305 pounds) and blows people off the ball. He was the first commit in this class, and never wavered. “Just meeting the people and being around the facilities, (strength coach Chris) Doyle, the way they push you,” Miller said, “It’s intense but it’s where I belong, and it’s the kind of people I belong with. I instantly just fit in with people there.” Tyler Endres is a nice get as well, and this is by far the most dominant position group this season. It’s not even close.
No. 2: Linebackers
4-stars: Jestin Jacobs, OLB, Clayton, Ohio.
3-stars: Jack Campbell, OLB, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jayweh Jeudy, OLB, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Skinny: Jestin Jacobs is a rising star who had a great senior year and moved up recruiting boards quickly. This was a big get for the Hawkeyes, because Ohio State was all over Jacobs, an Ohio native, late it the process. Iowa wasn’t sure they had this one won, not until that letter of intent showed on on Wednesday. Jack Campbell looks like an Iowa linebacker, too. Campbell is a back-to-back All-Iowa Elite Team member and an All-Iowa Football Player of the Year finalist. He covers a lot of ground and has a nose for the football
No. 3: Wide receivers/tight ends
3-stars: Logan Lee, TE, Orion, Ill.; Josiah Miamen, TE, Dunlap, Ill.; Sam LaPorta, TE, Highland, Ill.; Desmond Hutson, WR, Kansas City, Mo.;
Skinny: Iowa swung and missed at several wide receiver recruits, so it’s a big disappointment that Hutson is the only WR recruit so far. The ranking stays higher simply because of the tight ends in this class. Lee and Miamen have the potential to add to Iowa’s awesome tight end legacy.
No. 4: Backfield (QB/RB)
3-stars: Tyler Goodson, RB, Suwanee, Ga.; Alex Padilla, QB, Englewood, Colo.; Shadrick Byrd, RB, Alabaster, Ala.
Skinny: Iowa’s determination to recruit in the south more with Alabama native Derrick Foster leading the way has paid off. The two running backs might has slid under the radar a little bit with the SEC schools, but the Hawkeyes love what they’re getting in Goodson and Byrd. Iowa didn’t get QB Max Duggan, the top recruit in the state, but they like Padilla, the kid from Colorado who’s had a nice high school career.
No. 5: Defensive line
3-stars: Jalen Hunt, DE, Belleville, Mich.; Chris Reames, DE, Van Meter, Iowa; Jake Karchinski, DE, DePere, Wis.
Skinny: We saw all year how much guys like Parker Hesse and A.J. Epenesa disrupted opposing offenses, and there’s no one on this group who jumps out at their level right now. It’s going to be interesting to see how they develop. This was another area where the Hawks missed out on a few guys. Reames will be interesting to watch. He’ll need some growth, but could be a nice player in 2020 and beyond.
No. 6: Defensive backs
3-stars: Dane Belton, S, Tampa, Fla. Sebastian Castro, S, Oak Lawn, Ill.; Daraun McKinney, CB, River Rouge, Mich.;
Skinny: There are a lot of potential moving pieces in this group. It’s going to be interesting to see if this group gets additional help by February.
Tom Brew has been a recognized reporter in Big Ten sports for decades. Among other projects, he writes about Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.