Iowa football: Top three uncommitted targets before early signing period

TUCSON, AZ - SEPTEMBER 18: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes watches during the college football game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 34-27. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - SEPTEMBER 18: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes watches during the college football game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 34-27. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Iowa football team’s 2019 recruiting class is shaping up nicely, but there are still a few uncommitted targets that could bolster this year’s class.

With college football’s early signing period just a day away, there are 16 strong commitments to the Iowa football program’s class of 2019. As it stands, this class is ranked 39th nationally and 9th in the Big Ten, but this ranking could go up as there a few guys who are currently uncommitted that have expressed strong interest in the Iowa football team. Here are the top three ranked players who are still relatively open to the recruiting process.

David Bell

Bell, a wide receiver from Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, the same high school that Julius Brents came from, is Iowa’s top remaining high school target. The four-star recruit is the 82nd ranked person in the entire class according to 247sports and the 15th best wide receiver. While the Hawkeyes have been steadily in the mix signs as of late are not looking positive in our direction anymore.

David Bell, who is scheduled to make a decision during the Army All-American Bowl on January 19th is no longer taking a visit to the Hawks on December 15 as previously scheduled. Keep in mind that he did make a visit during the Wisconsin game earlier in the season, however.

The Hawks, meanwhile, are battling for his services with Indiana, Purdue, Penn State, and Ohio State with Purdue seen as the front-runner not that Jeff Brohm is staying in town.

Jason Bargy

Bargy, once committed to Minnesota, is back on the market but his situation is incredibly dicey and the Hawkeyes have yet to be linked to him as of late. The 6’4” 255 pound strongside defensive end is a top-300 recruit in the nation and the 21st ranked defensive end, but he was recently arrested on domestic violence charges. Moreover, he missed his entire senior year due to an injury.

At this point, Bargy’s interest in the Iowa football team is listed as cool, but so is his interest in all other programs. If he were to choose the Hawkeyes (if they offer is still on the table), he would be joining a very talented position group led by Anthony Nelson and AJ Epenesa. There are also three kids already committed to the Hawks at the position currently.

Chester Graves

Last but not least is Chester Graves, who more and more is looking he will not end up in the black and gold, but I had to include him in here because he is the nation’s number two rated junior college prospect, and his junior college, Iowa Western, has had a lot of recent success with sending kids to the Iowa football program.

Graves, originally from Kansas City, Missouri is sort of a mystery at this point, but recent signs have pointed towards his impending transfer to the University of Missouri. In an article written by Matthew Bain at Hawkcentral.com, it sounds like Graves just hasn’t really fully committed to the recruiting process means at this point, anything could be fair game.

This would be a huge get for the Iowa football program considering he is right in their backyard and the Hawks have built a relationship with Iowa Western thus far.

Although these are the three highest-rated recruits that have shown enough interest in the Hawks to warrant inclusion on this list, they are not the only recruits remaining. The full list can be seen here, and even though the early signing period begins tomorrow, there are likely to be a few commitments rolling in over the next two months as teams get a better idea of what their 2019 classes are shaping up like.