IOWA'S RECRUITING EFFORT FOR 2015 WRAPS UP WEDNESDAY. It's been a busy last couple weeks as the Iowa Football staff has scrambled to fill the last few spots of the 2015 class. Iowa's class was holding steady last week when RossWB recapped the 18 verbal commits in fold. Iowa added two more to this class over this weekend.
COMMIT #19
Garret Jansen 2-star (Rivals) 6'1" 250 Defensive Tackle
Friday night, Iowa lost out on four-star defensive tackle Darrion Daniels when he selected Oklahoma State on Tom Lemming's recruiting show on CBS Sports. It didn't take long for the staff to find their fallback. Jansen had committed to Cincinnati but de-committed this week and was looking at Northern Iowa. Cincinnati landed another DE commit this week and perhaps the situation changed there for Jansen. Iowa swooped in and nabbed their 8th commit from the state of Iowa.
COMMIT #20
Nick Wilson 2-star (Rivals) 6'2" 205 Linebacker/Safety
Iowa is hot after Wisconsin linebacker prospect Jack Whalen and he took his official visit to Madison yesterday. Wisconsin likes Whalen as a fullback and had previously only offered a grey-shirt but upgraded yesterday to a full ride. Whalen is set to decide between Iowa and Wisconsin tonight. Perhaps the Iowa staff already knows where Whalen is heading.
Bring in West Des Moines Dowling's Nick Wilson. He had previously committed to Western Illinois but Iowa had remained in contact throughout this last month. Wilson's full ride came and he committed. He's commit #9 for Iowa from the state of Iowa. He also joins quarterback prospect Ryan Boyle as the second commit to this Hawkeye team from the 4A state champs.
AND WE'RE STILL NOT DONE. Iowa is still in it for the aforementioned Whalen. They are also still in the hunt for Angelo Garbutt and Terez Hall. Garbutt visited Nebraska this weekend and things didn't go so well.
Per @NateClouse Angelo Garbutt won't be committing to #huskers.
— Samuel McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) February 1, 2015
Hall visited Wisconsin this week and ended with a quick visit to Nebraska. It's, perhaps, between those two for Hall.
IT'S HAPPENING NOW. There's reason for concern with Michigan now involved with Iowa's only running back commit Karan Higdon. Michigan offered Higdon a full ride Saturday morning but he told Iowa's recruiting guru, Blair Sanderson, that he was sticking with Iowa. Then some interesting things showed up over at MGOBlog. It appears Higdon's high school coach really wants him to go to Michigan. So much, he may have convinced Higdon to book a last second visit to Ann Arbor. Recruiting gurus are scrambling to contact Higdon and there's been no response since yesterday morning.
Higdon told @BlairRIVALS he's committed to Iowa but on MGoBlog some guy says he's on his way to visit Michigan pic.twitter.com/1l1VZwvgYY
— PlannedSickDays (@PlannedSickDays) January 31, 2015
Karan Higdon's visit is ongoing
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) February 1, 2015
NEAT! There's also walk-on news. Iowa added a few preferred walk-ons to this class over the last week. There's a punter, long-snapper and a tight end. There's also a fullback and maybe a tight end-convert-to left tackle type.
Clayton Ridge punter Colten Rastetter has accepted a walk-on opportunity with the #Iowa #Hawkeyes http://t.co/TeCmqTsufg
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) February 1, 2015
RT Preferred Walk-On Commit @Large_Lane Proud to announce that I have verbally committed to play fullback for the Iowa Hawkeyes! #GoHawks
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) February 1, 2015
TE Blake Simons is a great get for the #Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on. Good size & athleticism. Video: http://t.co/VGHNnvn1RV
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) January 29, 2015
Couldn't be more excited to announce that I will be continuing my football career at the University of Iowa #GoHawks pic.twitter.com/ADPc37abMK
— Blake Simons (@blake_simons25) January 29, 2015
Geneseo (IL) High TE Drew Himmelman (@DrewHimmelman) Officially Visiting #Iowa this weekend. #Hawkeyes: http://t.co/I1ilnUOd5F
— Rob Howe (@HawkeyeInsider) January 31, 2015
FINALLY. According to Rivals here is Iowa's current class:
Here's an update on the #Iowa #Hawkeyes 20 commits and how they figure into the rankings http://t.co/p8rVX5moVa pic.twitter.com/pdB8K5PBft
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairRIVALS) February 1, 2015