IOWA CITY, Iowa — If Iowa’s incoming freshmen needed motivation, they certainly found it from the overall 247Sports composite rankings.
Of the 13 top-1,000 players who signed with Iowa in December, 12 of them saw their ranking drop from mid-December through early June. For most, it wasn’t just a few spots. The average drop was 31 with quarterback Carson May plummeting from No. 450 to No. 521.
Even Iowa’s blue-chip recruits weren’t immune. Safety Xavier Nwankpa now sits No. 53 after signing as the No. 45 composite recruit. Defensive tackle Aaron Graves fell from No. 99 to No. 128. Only defensive back Koen Entringer saw a positive re-rank, jumping from No. 665 to No. 623. Of course, none of the players have played a game since their signing date.
Does it matter? Of course not. But it’s an anecdote that could get mentioned a time or two over the next five years.
“We feel really great about the class,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I’m really pleased about the way it came together, the way it shaped out.”
Four scholarship players enrolled in January and went through spring practice. They include Nwankpa, cornerback T.J. Hall and defensive linemen Brian Allen and Caden Crawford. Three-star defensive back Olando Trader, who signed in December and was slated to enroll in June, will not attend Iowa and instead will choose another school. That leaves 13 scholarship true freshmen who will start summer workouts June 13.
Here’s a look at those 13 newcomers and how they fit the program now and into the future.
The steals
Two defensive backs join the program this month: Entringer and Deshaun Lee. Both are from Michigan and have similar rankings but that’s where the similarities stop. They are different in size and skill but both could thrive in Iowa’s defense for different reasons.
Entringer (6-2, 195) might end up as the steal of the class. A two-way player at receiver and defensive back for Walled Lake Western High School in Ann Arbor, Mich., Entringer showcased equal ability as a pass-catcher and defender. At Iowa, Entringer could become a multi-year starter and his skill set compares favorably to physical first-team All-Big Ten cornerback and third-round draft pick Amari Spievey. Iowa’s cash role could suit Entringer once he gains some weight.
“It took me about five or six plays before I had to get a hold of Phil (Parker, Iowa’s defensive coordinator) and I was like, ‘You need to watch this kid,’” Iowa recruiting director Tyler Barnes said.
Entringer’s highlights belie his experience. Entringer played soccer for most of his life in Arizona before moving to Michigan two years ago. He again tried football — after he was told he wasn’t good enough by a coach in Arizona — and excelled as a senior. Entringer was named second-team all-state and finished with 88 tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one interception and two kickoff returns for scores. He also had 444 receiving yards at 17 yards per catch and six touchdowns.
“He runs like the wind, great ball skills,” Barnes said. “Really smart for a second-year football player, a football junkie. Then when you’re around him, he’s just got an infectious personality. He’s a guy you really want to be around, you really like.”
Entringer originally committed to Central Michigan but by last November, Power 5 teams tripped over themselves in offering him. Once Entringer decommitted, Iowa had to battle several competitors for him, including Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Boston College and the hometown Wolverines. Considering Entringer’s stepfather teaches at the University of Michigan, there was concern he would stay in Ann Arbor. But the bond Entringer developed with Parker nudged him toward Iowa.
“I think Phil tried to talk him out of coming here just to see if he’s a fit, what we’re looking for,” Barnes said. “The kid had a really good relationship with Phil, a really good bond with him. Really had a good bond with the other DBs here, including Xavier.”
Lee (5-10, 175) has a smaller build but displays coverage skills comparable to Manny Rugamba and a ferocity reminiscent of Desmond King. Lee played both sides of the ball and scored 13 offensive touchdowns with 804 receiving yards. He returned both a fumble and an interception for a touchdown. Lee ran track and played basketball at Belleville, the same school that produced current Iowa defensive backs Kaevon Merriweather and Brenden Deasfernandes.
The superstar
A typical defensive line recruit in a year like this would spend the fall battling Iowa’s varsity offensive line and preparing for the future. The Hawkeyes’ defensive line is too deep to crack, and unless there’s an injury disaster, the snaps won’t come often enough to warrant stripping a redshirt.
But few of those recruits come close to Aaron Graves, one of the most dominant players in Iowa high school history. Graves (6-5, 270) accepted a scholarship just a few weeks into the summer before his sophomore season and was unwavering in his commitment. At Southeast Valley High School, which collects students from several small towns about 60 miles northwest of Iowa State’s campus, Graves led the Jaguars to the Iowa Class 2A state title taking on three blocks on most plays. He still registered 63 tackles, including 14 for loss, and 7.5 sacks. His pancake blocks as an offensive lineman are the football version of a basketball dunk highlight reel.
“I wanted to offer Aaron after the first two games of his freshman year from his high school film,” Barnes said. “I had to be told to slow it down by our coaching staff, but it was easy to see. He never came off the field in those two games as a freshman. (He’s) built like one of those Nike mannequins you see with a 12 pack.
“Then he came to camp, and it was real quick. It took 10 minutes in camp to know what we had there.”
As a high school senior, Graves put together an almost impossible trio of accomplishments — all without a Twitter account. He earned his Associate of Arts degree from Iowa Central Community College, which means he will start his Iowa career as a collegiate junior in credit hours. He also wrestled and played basketball concurrently. On the first day of the state wrestling tournament, Graves stuck his first-round opponent in 1 minute, 46 seconds, then scored 33 points the same day in a district basketball loss 50 miles from the state wrestling tournament. Graves ultimately finished fourth as a heavyweight.
“He doesn’t stop,” Barnes said. “He doesn’t take a play off. He’s high-motor. All-out effort every single snap, which you just don’t see a ton, especially for big guys. For Aaron, that’s just how he plays. That’s how he’s wired.
“He’s the epitome of an Iowa Hawkeye. We’re obviously thrilled to get him here. It’s nice to have a guy commit that early. Probably the lowest maintenance recruit in the history of Iowa football. Didn’t need much, didn’t want much.”
No Iowa defensive lineman has entered the program with Graves’ physique and perhaps only All-American five-star A.J. Epenesa exceeds Graves’ profile. At the risk of coming off as hyperbole, there’s no worthwhile comparison to make for Graves’ ability and potential, either.
The competition
The Hawkeyes picked up a pair of runners who can challenge for playing time right away. Both Jaziun Patterson (5-11, 190) and Kaleb Johnson (6-1, 220) join a backfield without an incumbent. Last year’s starter Tyler Goodson now wears a Green Bay Packers helmet and the spring’s lead tandem of Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams combined for 374 rushing yards and 86 carries last year.
That doesn’t mean either Patterson or Johnson will leap past either Williams. But both have skills that are conducive to seeing action this fall. Patterson boasts breakaway speed and an uncanny change of direction. Johnson is physical and powerful. But Patterson also has a frame that can expand and runs hard between the tackles while Johnson can sprint outside the tackle box and pull away from defenders.
Patterson rushed for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior for Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School. In his junior and sophomore season, Patterson combined for 1,250 yards and 24 touchdowns and was a three-time captain for the renowned program. Patterson chose Iowa over Florida State and was the first recruiting win last summer for second-year running backs coach Ladell Betts, who formerly coached high school football in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“(Patterson is) just a really patient runner, north-south, gets downhill, has really good vision, has got good burst to him,” Barnes said. “He’s faster than I think people give him credit for and you see that on his senior film this year where he’s running away, and they’re playing top competition in Florida down there.”
At Hamilton (Ohio) High School, Johnson rushed for 1,004 yards and 15 touchdowns last season and combined for 1,664 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore and junior. Originally, Johnson was scheduled to visit Iowa last June, but he backed out and committed to Cal after a visit. Iowa’s staff stayed in touch with Johnson and he visited Iowa City for the top-five showdown between Penn State and Iowa. Johnson then decommitted from Cal and chose Iowa.
“You can’t teach size,” Barnes said about Johnson. “(He’s) got a 12 pack and is a big kid. Very fluid on film. Some of the stuff he does, he’s extremely fast. Really fluid for a big guy. Obviously can run through tackles and run through contact.”
The hidden gem
The similarities between Landyn Van Kekerix and former Iowa All-American Josey Jewell are striking. Both come from farming backgrounds. After leading his northeast Iowa high school team to a state title in 2012, Jewell was a two-star prospect headed to a local Division III college before Iowa swooped in with a late offer. Van Kekerix initially was a two-star prospect, took his northwest Iowa squad to the 2021 state title game and weighed attending a local NAIA school before the Hawkeyes extended a scholarship.
“Stop me if you read this before, but we’ve had plenty of stories like this kid before,” Barnes said. “You know what type of kid you’re going to get, what type of person. Obviously, work ethic. You don’t have to worry about that for a guy that goes home and works on the farm before he plays a football or basketball game that night. He comes from an awesome family, a blue-collar family that fits a lot of values that we cherish.”
A do-it-all player at Rock Valley (Iowa) High School, Van Kekerix (6-2, 205) rushed for 707 yards, had 811 yards receiving and scored 26 offensive touchdowns. On defense, he had 76 tackles with 11.5 for loss and also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Then on the basketball court, Van Kekerix averaged 13.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in guiding the Rockets to a state championship. He also qualified for the state track meet in two relays. Van Kekerix will play linebacker at Iowa.
“You can’t ignore the production he had in his senior year,” Barnes said. “He was so productive, an extremely underrated recruit in the state of Iowa, in my opinion. But a guy that just nobody really knew about and kind of burst onto the scene this year.
“The more we got to watch him and just the more ridiculous numbers he put up as the season went on, the more love we had for him. And a little bit like Josey, he comes from a farming family, a kid that had some other offers, but really wasn’t going to probably get out and go see places. He’s playing sports, and he’s back home working on the farm.”
The next in line
Iowa has a well-earned reputation as college football’s Tight End U. With NFL stars George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, coupled with an assortment of other pro starters over the years, the Hawkeyes not only produce talent at that position, but they also cultivate and develop it.
In the 2021 class, the Hawkeyes have two tight end prospects who could vault into that fraternity. But like Kittle (a two-star wide receiver), Fant (considered a defensive end by multiple schools) and Hockenson (the No. 66-ranked tight end in his class), neither Cael Vanderbush (6-5, 205) nor Addison Ostrenga (6-4, 220) is readymade. Their work ethic and development will determine how closely they match the blueprint set by their Hawkeye predecessors.
Barnes said Ostrenga compares favorably with Henry Krieger-Coble, who perhaps flashed the best hands of any Iowa tight end. A former Iowa baseball commit from Sun Prairie, Wis., Ostrenga earned his football opportunity by showing his commitment to his high school baseball team and how he wanted to prove his value to the Iowa football staff.
One weekend last June, Ostrenga competed at an Iowa football camp, blocked capably and caught every pass thrown in his direction. He left a positive impression with the coaches.
“We felt good about it,” Barnes said. “In his mind, he wasn’t satisfied because we hadn’t offered him yet. So, he’s like, ‘Coach, I’m going to come down for another camp.’ Like, ‘Yeah, not a problem.’
“The night before (the second camp), they had a doubleheader, and it ends up getting pushed back. They get in the car, drive down here extremely late, get to our camp. I don’t know if his dad had slept. He does the same thing he did in the first camp and was probably even more impressive, actually. Then he had to hurry up and get in the car to go back and make a baseball practice. So, he didn’t stay after camp to talk to our coaches.
“That said a lot to us right there. This kid’s making this type of effort. He’s not missing anything. Baseball-wise, he’s squeezing this camp in between a doubleheader and a practice and he came down here probably tired as all hell and just absolutely killed it.”
Ostrenga caught 46 passes for 664 yards and eight touchdowns in helping Sun Prairie High School reach the Wisconsin state title game. On defense, he registered 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks and scored two defensive touchdowns. In a shortened 2021 spring season, Ostrenga caught 19 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns as a wide receiver.
“He reminds you of some of the guys we’ve had here before, less heralded guys,” Barnes said. “They’re just football players and productive football players. It’s something you can’t replace.”
Vanderbush has more ground to make up physically than Ostrenga to get on the field at tight end but perhaps is more fluid as a pass catcher. Vanderbush uses his length well in competitive situations and showcases good speed to beat defenders in space.
A quarterback as a high school sophomore, Vanderbush played both tight end and receiver his final two seasons at Plainfield (Ind.) High School. As a junior, he caught 44 passes for 743 yards and six scores. Last year, he had 35 receptions for 736 yards and eight touchdowns. He also averaged 14.5 points as a basketball player, one year after scoring 12.7 points a game.
“First thing that stood out to me is obviously his length,” Barnes said. “He’s a long kid, every bit of 6-5, maybe a little bit over. A little bit lighter, kind of like Noah Fant in that 200 to 205 range, but he just runs so well. He’s so sudden for a tight end.”
Vanderbush’s father, Randy, was a quarterback at Michigan State in 1989 and also played baseball for the Spartans. Originally a Western Michigan recruit, Vanderbush and the Hawkeyes had a whirlwind courtship. Iowa’s staff invited Vanderbush and his family to attend a mid-September game, and an offer was extended after the visit. Vanderbush decommitted from the Broncos the following day and two days after receiving his offer, he chose the Hawkeyes.
“He actually called on Tuesday, that’s the day he commits,” Barnes said. “We’re like, absolutely — before you blew up — we’ll 100 percent take it.
“I think there’s a lot of high upside there. If we can get him in the size we needed to be, I think he’s going to be able to stretch the field vertically and give us something a little bit different as a tight end.”
The next connection
The Hawkeyes added just one quarterback and one receiver in the class. Wide receiver Jacob Bostick (6-2, 170) and quarterback Carson May (6-4, 215) may not reach the field along the same timeline, but it’s likely they will build some sort of a connection at Iowa.
May was a prospect caught in the COVID crosshairs in 2020 and early 2021. He built up an extensive résumé in 2020 with 3,020 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, 650 rushing yards and 14 rushing scores. But there weren’t any coaches visiting Jones (Okla.) High School that fall, nor could May travel to schools for unofficial visits.
By the following spring, May didn’t fit the dual-threat description that captivates most programs in the Southern Plains. When prospects were allowed to travel for camps and visits in June 2021, May stopped at multiple campuses hoping to land a scholarship. One of those stops was Iowa, and there was a connection.
“He did a really good job,” Barnes said. “We had offered a couple other quarterbacks before we offered him. We kind of gave them their time to see what they were going to do, and ultimately, they went in a different direction.
“A big kid, a little bit over 6-4, 220 pounds. Looks like a tight end right now. Athletic kid, can really throw, can really run, and had a huge senior season this year, too.”
May threw for 3,082 yards, 37 scores and four interceptions last fall, while rushing for 466 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named the Oklahoma Class 2A Player of the Year and finished his career with 8,549 yards and 107 touchdown passes, which Barnes called “PlayStation numbers.”
“I think he’s severely underrecruited, and I’m not the only one,” Barnes said. “I talked to a few recruiting guys around the country when he committed to us, they were all giving us kudos. This kid is flying under the radar. Excited about Carson. He’s a stoic, kind of quiet kid, but he’s definitely a gamer.”
Bostick played in Palatine (Ill.) High School’s first three games before a knee injury cost him the rest of the regular season. He then returned for one playoff game. Bostick was healed by this spring and finished tied for second in the long jump at the Illinois state meet.
“He’s a big, long kid, a track athlete, runs really well,” Barnes said. “Really good ball skills. He’s an explosive kid, probably an outside receiver for us, obviously with his body type. He’s a kid we’re excited to get here and we’ll get him in the weight room, get a little weight on him, get him a little bit bigger, stronger, faster and kind of see where he develops.”
Bostick’s length and speed jump out immediately, similar to former Iowa receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette but more refined at this career stage. Iowa made the Chicagoland product a priority during the 2021 summer recruiting period. Bostick visited Illinois, Cincinnati and Louisville before picking the Hawkeyes.
“We’ve told him, ‘Hey, you’re our No. 1 guy. You’re the guy we want to lock up in this class,’” Barnes said. “We actually told a couple other guys that we’re moving on from them because we were honed in on Jake, and we felt good about it.”
The underdogs
Three players are unlikely to see action this fall and it might be at least two seasons before they compete for snaps. Part of the reason is injury-based. Linebacker Jayden Montgomery (5-11, 225), son of former Iowa defensive lineman and Green Bay Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery, suffered a torn ACL last fall. Offensive lineman Jack Dotzler (6-6, 260) missed most of his senior season with an ankle injury before returning in time to help Waunakee (Wis.) High School win the Wisconsin Division 2 state title. Additionally, offensive lineman Kale Krogh (6-5, 270) has plenty of room to grow physically before vaulting into that unit’s competition.
But all three have the mindset and personal connection that often drives overlooked recruits to a status few thought they could attain. Krogh played for Huxley-Ballard (Iowa) High School, located 10 miles from Iowa State’s campus. He wasn’t offered a scholarship by the Cyclones. Montgomery was an unrated prospect at Green Bay’s Bay Port High School, but he grew up an Iowa fan and accepted the Hawkeyes’ scholarship offer the same day it was extended. Despite living just north of Madison, Wis., Dotzler also was an Iowa fan with both of his parents graduating from the university. He took an unofficial visit on June 1 and committed one day later.
While the trio’s primary impact may come on scout team this year, their opportunity to develop into a potential starter remains the same as those who don’t redshirt this fall.
“The bottom line is this: To be a college football player and play in our program, it takes really hard work and serious commitment,” Ferentz said. “I really feel that each and every one of the 17 guys we signed understands what it is we’re looking for, and I think they fully embrace that challenge and are looking forward to getting here just like we are.
“It’s certainly exciting. It’s always exciting to add to your football team. So, we feel really good about the group.”
(Top photo of Aaron Graves: Scott Dochterman / The Athletic)
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