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The Iowa coaching staff has been trying for some time to build inroads in the state of Georgia. In particular, they’ve been hoping to find overlooked skill position players from the peach state to add some of that vaunted SEC speed to the roster.
The class of 2019 gives the Hawkeyes exactly that with the lone commit from the state of Georgia: running back Tyler Goodson. The North Gwinnett product has been committed since early July, when the staff was looking for only one back in the class.
Goodson was their top choice and today, he’s officially a Hawkeye.
Bringing the juice from the Peach State – RB Tyler Goodson | #Swarm19 https://t.co/wAIrCXFeUH pic.twitter.com/9B8o3okkL5
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) December 19, 2018
While Goodson doesn’t exactly fit the bill of an overlooked player after picking up 32 total offers - including the likes of Michigan State, Nebraska, Kentucky, Syracuse, Washington State and West Virginia - he does fill that need for speed.
Goodson displayed plenty of it entertaining route to racking up 1,149 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns on 166 carries for a 6.9 yard per carry average as a senior at North Gwinnett. He also threw a touchdown out of the wildcat and had a touchdown reception.
His running style will give Hawkeye fans flashbacks to Akrum Wadley. And while it’s certainly premature to say he’ll fill those shoes, it’s not at all misleading to say Goodson will bring with him a combination of speed and wiggle that the Hawkeyes don’t currently have on the roster.
It’s that unique talent, combined with his solid frame at 5’10” and nearly 195 (Wadley’s top end) that had Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh in for a home visit last week to try to steal Goodson away. But like quarterback Alex Padilla (Georgia) and linebacker Jestin Jacobs (Ohio State), Goodson held firm with his commitment to Iowa.
In doing so, he becomes the only player in the class from the state of Georgia, as well as the Hawkeyes’ only running back commit as of now. Iowa is expected to land another in the class either today or in the late period.