Iowa football: Class of 2020 shaping up to be historically good

The Iowa football program isn’t known for placing high in recruiting class rankings each year, but the class of 2020 is looking to buck the trend.

It all started with the commitment of Deuce Hogan, a four-star quarterback from Texas who committed to the Iowa football program prior to playing his junior year of football. Since then, the talented recruits have been rolling in and rolling in quickly.

That’s not exactly common though.

Most Iowa football fans, by now, realize that Kirk Ferentz and his staff build their program differently than many other major college football programs. They aren’t as interested in “top recruits (as determined by ranking sites)”, instead choosing to focus on finding the right guys for the program. They want to find the guys who want to play Hawkeye football, and who want to do it the right way.

To be fair, the Iowa football team doesn’t shy away from top recruits if it makes sense for them, it’s just not as common to see the Hawks pulling in four and five-star recruits like they are going grocery shopping for them. Players like junior defensive end AJ Epenesa are a rarity for the Iowa football team. He’s one of just seven five-star recruits to ever be recruited by Kirk Ferentz.

As of right now though, the Iowa football program’s class of 2020 ranks as the 9th best in the nation, which if the recruiting period were to end today, would be the second highest ranking of all time under Kirk Ferentz. The class of 2020 includes nine hard commits with two four-stars and four Iowa natives.

The highest was back in 2005 when the Hawk’s recruiting class was ranked 6th and included three five-star players. Historically, the Hawkeye’s recruiting classes range anywhere from the low 40’s to the high 50’s, and even if you include the 2005 class and the 2011 class that was 26th, Iowa’s average recruiting class ranking exactly 40.

So what makes this year any different?

A lot of things, to be honest.

First, the Hawkeyes secured the commitment from Hogan ending a trend involving Iowa finding it’s quarterbacks late. Moreover, they got a good one in Hogan who already sees himself as the leader of this class, and it shows on Twitter as he actively engages with Iowa football commits and Iowa football targets daily. As we mentioned just before Elijah Yelverton committed last week, Hogan had been talking to him a few times a month. The paid recruiters from the Iowa football program can only do so much so having a highly touted quarterback prospect be the spokesperson for your program can do wonders.

Second, as Scott Dochterman discussed in a recent article on The Athletic (subscription required), Iowa is getting better at finding the right guys for the program and the $55 million facility performance center is certainly a big draw as well.

Third, Chris Doyle stands on a tower above his peers as the best in the business. There is a reason why he is the highest paid strength and conditioning coach in the country. Just look at what he did with some of the guys during the NFL Combine or at Pro Days. The Hawkeyes absolutely crushed their combine testing despite only sending four players to Indianapolis. That speaks volumes to potential recruits.

Finally, the emergence of early prospects has helped put the Iowa football team on the radar of young players everywhere, especially tight ends. When you are about to become the first program to have two tight ends drafted in the first round, possible tight end recruits listen. That was one of Hogan’s biggest selling points in talking to heralded tight end prospect Yelverton who had over 30 offers from D-1 programs.

There is a long way to go between now and the early signing period opens December 19th, but so far, this recruiting class is shaping up to look pretty good. Some may even say, historically good.