With the chaos of the transfer portal in full effect, we cannot forget about the recruiting trail.
The Hawkeyes, as well as every other program in college football, are fully focused on pulling top talent from the transfer portal, while maintaining one eye on the recruiting trail.
After the Iowa offensive line earned the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line unit in college football, the program wants to repeat that success next season and beyond.
Not only did the offensive line win the Joe Moore Award, but the unit was one of the highest-graded units that Pro Football Focus (PFF) has ever graded.
Iowa's overall 94.1 grade is ranked No. 8 all-time since PFF's inception in 2007.
Iowa's 2026 recruiting class is solid, with On3 Sports ranking the class as the No. 26 overall in college football.
That includes four-star offensive linemen Carson Nielson, Gene Riordan, and Hudson Parliament, and three-star offensive linemen Colin Whitters and Owen Linder.
After the calendar flipped to 2026, the program got some great news from another potential four-star prospect, this time in the 2027 recruiting class.
I’m grateful and blessed for all of the opportunities. I’m looking forward the next handful of months and making a final decision. @CoachHand @CoachBarnett_OL @OU_CoachB @CoachTuitele @RyanClanton @GarinJustice @ClayMcGuireTTU @CoachMateos @CoachMattLuke @KJJFlood… pic.twitter.com/WbHMSDi6ku
— Peyton Miller (@PeytonMill09) January 6, 2026
Anna High School product Peyton Miller released a list of his top 11 choices, with the Hawkeyes making the cut.
While it is still a little early for rankings in the 2027 class, Miller is projected to be one of the top interior linemen in the class.
On3 Sports has currently ranked Miller as a three-star prospect, Texas's No. 51 overall prospect, and the No. 23 overall interior lineman prospect in the 2027 recruiting class.
Their industry ranking also lists Miller as the No. 221 overall prospect in the class.
247Sports has ranked Miller as a four-star prospect, Texas's No. 24 overall prospect, the No. 8 interior lineman prospect, and the No. 173 overall prospect in the 2027 recruiting class.
Miller just looks like an Iowa offensive lineman
Under Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, the Iowa program has traditionally leaned on a stout offensive line to establish the running game.
Iowa's offense has always and will always start with the run as long as Ferentz is in Iowa City, and Miller could be the next star interior offensive lineman waiting in the wings.
Players like Brandon Scherff, Connor Colby, Marshal Yanda, Tristan Wirfs, and Mason Richman, among many others, have become household names in the NFL after their time with the Iowa program, and Williams has a similar skillset to all of them.
Not only does Williams have the look and feel of Iowa linemen of the past, but he is also an elite wrestler, something the Hawkeye program has always valued.
Iowa's offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for a reason this past season, and if prospects want to succeed in college and be better prepared for the NFL, they should give the Iowa program a long look.