The weight of Hawkeye nation rests upon the healthy shoulders of new transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski. Gronowski has been thrust into the spotlight since he transferred to Iowa from South Dakota State in the January transfer window.
After the transfer portal window closed, On3 Sports ranked Iowa's transfer portal class as No. 15 in the Big Ten and No. 56 overall.
Gronowski was the highest-ranked transfer to choose the Hawkeyes, ranked as the No. 8 transfer quarterback and the No. 60 overall transfer.
It is no secret that Iowa's offense has struggled mightily for multiple seasons, starting with the quarterback.
Iowa has not had consistent quarterback play since Nate Stanley left in 2019 and they completely retooled this year's quarterback room to address that issue.
Gronowski is the projected starter for next season, but began his Hawkeye career on the shelf following a shoulder injury he suffered while he was with South Dakota State.
After months of rehab, including missing all spring practices, Gronowski was fully cleared for activity this month and attended the prestigious Manning Passing Academy.
#Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski has impressed the last couple of days at the Manning Passing Academy, according to @TMcHargue16.
— Sean Bock (@SBock247) June 29, 2025
More on that here: https://t.co/BHI4kdrXRm
A good sign for Hawkeye fans is that Gronowski stood out over the weekend, impressing scouts and media members at the Manning Passing Academy.
The Manning Passing Academy has been around for 28 years, providing high-caliber college and high school players with the opportunity to sharpen their skills.
Gronowski was among a group of quarterbacks including Arch Manning (Texas), Drew Allar (Penn State), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Garrett Nussmeier (LSU).
Even with a list of high-profile quarterbacks at the academy, Gronowski stood out.
CBS Sports' Taylor McHargue mentioned he was excited to see Gronowski and that he was impressive throughout the week.
If Gronowski's shoulder can hold up and he can adapt to the better competition in the Big Ten, Iowa will be a sleeper team that will make some noise next season.