The Iowa program has a knack for identifying and developing underrecruited talent, and they have the opportunity to do that once again.
The Hawkeyes have never been known as a quarterback factory, but that doesn't mean multiple talented quarterbacks who have come through Iowa City. Unfortunately for the program, they have been few and far between, and we still don't have any inclination about who will earn the starting job in 2026. Despite some uncertainty this season, the program is set up for future success at the position after robbing 2026 four-star prospect Tradon Bessinger from Boise State and adding talented prospect Brayden Santibanez in the 2027 class.
To keep that trend going, Iowa has locked in a visit with a rising 2028 dual-threat QB prospect this fall.
Iowa scheduled a visit with three-star QB Brayden Tillman for Week One
The Hawkeyes currently have a quarterback committed in 2027 (Santibanez), and while they have heavily pursued a 2028 quarterback, they haven't had any luck so far. The program has offered eight quarterbacks in the class, all three- and four-stars, but it is still too early to make any concrete predictions about the class. Iowa hasn't shied away from offering some very talented quarterbacks in the class, but one intriguing prospect they haven't offered is now in the mix.
QB Brayden Tillman has now added visits to Iowa and Illinois to his schedule, and locked in a date with Wisconsin.
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) August 21, 2026
More on the schools he has good relationships with as well as a rough timeline for his recruitment.https://t.co/1q6VxMv4ol pic.twitter.com/aaUTHBQiMI
Traverse City, MI, native Brayden Tillman has locked in a visit to Iowa City when the program plays Northern Illinois in the first game of the 2026-2027 season, a perfect time to get an early read on the rising quarterback. After his sophomore year last season, Tillman didn't have any offers, but they started to trickle in this offseason. He now holds offers from Florida State, Michigan State, Purdue, and Wisconsin, with more coming every day. Iowa hasn't offered Tillman yet, saving their evaluation for his visit on September 5 and during his season with Traverse City West High School, but Tillman brings a lot to the table.
He is a solid dual-threat quarterback who excels inside and outside of the pocket and isn't afraid to use his legs if plays break down. He has sneaky speed for his size (six-foot-four) and has a strong arm to make accurate medium and deep throws. Tillman does not spend a lot of time under center, but has the dual-threat capabilities everyone covets. Based on the quarterbacks' skill sets and a talented running back group, offensive coordinator Tim Lester said the offense might not use the QB run game as much as they did with Mark Gronowski in 2025, but that doesn't mean they aren't going after dual-threat quarterbacks.
A solid junior season will go a long way for Tillman as he continues to develop, but if his offseason and growing amount of offers are any indication, if the Hawkeyes offer him, they will battle multiple top-tier college football programs for his services. It wouldn't be surprising if the program officially offers Tillman after the NIU weekend, and this isn't the last we will hear about him.
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