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Iowa football: 5 best Kirk Ferentz recruiting classes

By Ryan Sikes

CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 19: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes is seen during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 19: Head coach Kirk Ferentz of the Iowa Hawkeyes is seen during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Marvin McNutt was a converted quarterback and became one of the best receivers to play for the Iowa football team.

Looking back at the 2007 Iowa football recruiting class, it’s fairly easy to see why the team had arguably the best 4-year run in the Kirk Ferentz era from 2008-2011. The Hawkeyes were winners of four straight bowl games with significant contributions coming from this class.

It goes to show how much Ferentz gets out of his players considering this class was ranked 29th in the country, but still featured names like Broderick Binns, Marvin McNutt Jr., Colin Sandeman, Tyler Sash, Mike Daniels, Allen Reisner, Bryan Bulaga, and Christian Ballard.

McNutt started his career at Iowa as a quarterback but they were set with Ricky Stanzi at the helm. He was known as having the best hands on the roster, so it only made sense for him to convert to wide receiver. During the 2011 season, McNutt hauled in 82 receptions for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Flip backward, he was a critical piece of the offense in that 2009 season that ultimately led them to Miami to play in the Orange Bowl. McNutt only caught 4 balls for 21 yards in the bowl victory, but he had a huge touchdown catch in the back corner of the endzone that gave Iowa a commanding 14-0 lead.

Sash’s position was a bit of an unknown coming to Iowa City, but they tried him out at safety and I’d say that one worked out. He recorded 6 interceptions in 2009 and 13 overall in his career at Iowa. As a rookie, he won a Super Bowl title as a special teams player for the New York Giants.

Daniels became a star for the Hawkeyes defensive line. He became a regular on the line in the 2010 and 2011 season recording a combined 107 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers and made the Pro Bowl in 2017 while being named the 93rd best player in the NFL for the 2018 season.

Hot. AJ Epenesa could break single-season sack record. light

Bulaga was four-star prospect from Woodstock, Illinois and had a terrific career in Iowa City. So much that the Packers took him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He’s been a mainstay on their offensive line, despite struggling with injuries but won a Super Bowl with the team as a rookie.

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