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Iowa football: This QB recruit could also play basketball for Hawks

By Andrew Wade

PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on from the sideline in the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on from the sideline in the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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The Iowa football team is targeting a four-star QB who could also end playing on the Iowa basketball team. Who is this guy and where is he from?

Being great at one sport is difficult enough, but being great at two is virtually unheard of. The Iowa basketball team currently has a solid two-sport athlete in Connor McCaffery and we’ve seen it done in the past at other schools like Julius Peppers at UNC or Charlie Ward at Florida State, but it’s a rarity nonetheless. There could be another name added to the list of two-sport college athletes and the Iowa football team is recruiting him.

Jalen Suggs, a four-star dual-threat quarterback prospect out of Minneapolis, Minnesota who is the 325th ranked prospect in the nation, but there is a twist. He also happens to be the 14th ranked player in the nation at basketball according to Rivals.

The two-sport star holds offers from both the Iowa football team and the Iowa basketball team, but at this point, nobody knows what he will do. According to CJ Moore of The Athletic, Suggs would likely lean towards basketball if forced to choose but is very much interested in attempting to play both sports at the collegiate level.

If he decides to do both, the Iowa football and Iowa basketball teams make a lot of sense. As it stands today, Suggs has 25 offers for basketball and just 6 offers for football with just Georgia, Iowa State, Iowa and Minnesota recruiting him in both.

Winning is something he is familiar with, having claimed state titles in both sports and if winning and developing into a pro prospect in both sports is what he is searching for, the University of Iowa makes the most sense.

Georgia may be one of the best teams in the SEC in football, but they are not a title contender in basketball. They’ve made the NCAA Tournament just five times in the last 22 years.

Minnesota has had their moments, but their football team is typically middle of the road and their basketball team has been the same as of late.

Iowa State, shockingly, could be the biggest contender against Iowa if you’re looking for two reputable programs. The football team is on the rise and the basketball team is always strong.

The Iowa football and Iowa basketball programs, however, can boast consistency and longevity. Kirk Ferentz has produced a significant amount of NFL talent and will retire one day as the greatest coach in Iowa football history. Meanwhile, Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery is building a longlasting team of his own. Despite a few recent setbacks, this team can be a contender for years to come with an influx of good recruits coming in.

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If they can land this talented two-sport prospect, both sports would benefit immensely. The Iowa football team would land a dual-threat QB who projects better at tight end or linebacker at the next level, and Fran McCaffery would get a dynamic point guard that could keep his uptempo offense humming.