Over the past few seasons, Iowa's reputation as "Tight End U" has taken a hit due to all the injuries the Hawkeyes have suffered.
After a dominating run with Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta, the Iowa tight ends have struggled to stay healthy and make an impact.
After transferring from Michigan in 2023, former Hawkeye Erick All played in only seven games after suffering a season-ending injury.
Even with his lengthy injury history, the Cincinnati Bengals selected All in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he is currently rehabbing another injury
Another former Hawkeye, Luke Lachey, struggled with injuries while he was in Iowa City, but was drafted by the Texans in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
This season, the injury bug bit the Hawkeyes' tight end room once again as starting tight end Addison Ostrenga suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the Cy-Hawk rivalry game against Iowa State.
As the Hawkeyes look for answers at the tight end position for this season, they received some good news on the recruiting trail as a top tight end prospect has the Hawkeyes in his top four.
NEWS: Four-Star TE Cooper Terwilliger is down to 4 Schools, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 1, 2025
The 6’6 230 TE from Pierre, SD is ranked as a Top 10 TE in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals)
Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/zvyIUQRiOn pic.twitter.com/ZjmURth3cL
Six-foot-six, 230-pound tight end prospect Cooper Terwilliger has narrowed his preferred destinations to four, with Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, and Nebraska making the list.
Both Rivals and 247Sports have ranked Terwilliger as South Dakota's No. 1 overall prospect in the 2027 recruiting class.
Rivals has ranked Terwilliger as the No. 13 overall tight end prospect in the 2027 recruiting class, whereas 247Sports ranked him as the No. 10 overall prospect in the class.
Terwilliger is an extremely versatile tight end prospect who could make an immediate impact on the Hawkeyes program if he decides to head East to Iowa City.
Rivals has predicted that he will join Nebraska at this stage of his recruiting process, so the Hawkeyes will have to beat out their rival to obtain Terwilliger's services.