Dear Old Gold
Fansided

Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Hitting Recruiting Stride As Early Signing Approaches

By Joe Favia

LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 24: General view of footballs used by the Iowa Hawkeyes before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - NOVEMBER 24: General view of footballs used by the Iowa Hawkeyes before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The world of college football recruiting will change next week as the first early signing period begins on December 20th. Players will be able to make it official for their future respective college choices. The Hawkeyes have continued to improve on their rankings for the 2018 class.

December has so far been rather kind for Iowa in the recruiting department. It began on December 5th when they got a pledge from 24/7 Sports top ranked player in Iowa defensive end John Waggoner. Waggoner joins a Hawkeye defensive line that has a promising future with the pairing with AJ Epenesa among others.

Waggoner will be able to learn under upper-classmen Anthony and Matt Nelson, and players who look to hit the field in 2018 such as Chauncey Gholston, Romeo McKnight and Brandon Simon. Overall, defensive ends for Iowa should reek havoc for quarterbacks, and it will be much needed with the inexperience that will be in the linebacker unit.

Then, on December 13th the Hawkeyes got more talent and explosiveness in a position that continues to be an area of need. Calvin Lockett from ‘The Sunshine State’ joins the Iowa receiver room passing on offers from in-state schools.

The Hawkeyes are scheduled to only lose senior Matt VandeBerg, and between the talent gained at the position in the 2017 class, and the additions of Indiana and Illinois players of the year Tyrone Tracy and Samson Evans with Lockett, the Hawkeyes have gained strong targets for Nate Stanley.

Kirk Ferentz also gained a commitment from a quarterback from an unusual area for the Hawkeyes. Northern California quarterback Spencer Petras joined the #swarm18 group becoming a very rare player from California to come to Iowa. So, the Hawkeyes sent an NFL quarterback to the bay area in CJ Beathard, only to get one back in a very promising prospect in Petras.

The depth chart for the quarterback position could look quite a bit different next season behind to-be junior Nate Stanley. With the potential departures of Tyler Wiegers and Ryan Boyle, Peyton Mansell, Ryan Schmidt and Petras could round out the position under QB coach Ken O’Keefe.

Despite this successes, the Hawkeyes may have more work to do on the recruiting trail. Most of the verbal commits are expected to sign next week to make it official. Anything can happen in the world of recruiting however. The recent parting of ways of tight end Anthony Torres who committed to Western Michigan, and the recent offer of Iowa commit Ben Vansumeren from in-state Michigan could change the dynamic of the final few signees in this years class.