IOWA CITY, Iowa — Relying upon a preponderance of small-town, three-star prospects, Iowa’s recruiting prowess often doesn’t translate on a national level. But considering the Hawkeyes currently have 43 players on NFL rosters and only three were four- or five-star prospects, either all of them are under-ranked or Iowa’s development is underrated.
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In the past four years, the Hawkeyes have recruited at a higher level (a 31 average national ranking) than the seven years preceding that stretch (48.7). But Iowa won’t stray too far away from its foundation as a developmental program, and it has served it well with the third-most wins among Big Ten programs during the past five years.
Let’s take a look at Iowa’s recruiting highs and lows during the past three decades.
Best recruit, pre-internet rankings: Tim Dwight, WR
Perhaps the greatest high school athlete in state history, Dwight held a Christmas Eve news conference at Iowa City High to announce his future plans. Fans and media piled into the gym, and Dwight announced his commitment to the hometown Hawkeyes as a Christmas gift to his parents. It was just as memorable for Iowa fans.
In 1997, Dwight was named a consensus All-American for his dazzling special teams play and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy balloting. He led the nation in punt return yardage (16.7) that year, which was down from his 1996 average of 18.3.
When Dwight left Iowa, he owned Big Ten records for career punt return yardage (1,102), punt returns for touchdowns in a season (three) and career (five). He was just as dynamic as a wide receiver, ranking second in Iowa history with 2,271 yards and 21 receiving touchdowns and eighth in career catches (139). Dwight often appears on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot, and in 2011, the Big Ten named the “Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year” for Dwight and Nebraska great Johnnie Rodgers. Former coach Hayden Fry said, “pound for pound,” Dwight was the best player he coached at Iowa.
Best recruit, modern era: A.J. Epenesa, DE
Epenesa was the highest-rated player ever to join the program, and he played like it. A five-star defensive end who had offers from every major program, Epenesa surprised Iowa’s coaching staff by committing less than two weeks after the Hawkeyes’ 2016 Rose Bowl appearance. Epenesa never wavered and helped build a class that produced five NFL Draft picks.
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In three seasons, Epenesa recorded 26.5 sacks and was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten player. Epenesa led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks in 2018 and finished with 11.5 in 2019. In his final game, Epenesa dominated USC in the Holiday Bowl with 2.5 sacks and was named defensive MVP.
Most influential recruit: Tony Moeaki, TE
This is a strange category for Iowa because its most influential voices in recruiting were quarterbacks who ultimately transferred out of the program. While he was the softest-spoken athlete on the roster, Moeaki boasted the top grade in Iowa’s highest-ranked class.
In 2005, the Hawkeyes finished sixth in the 247Sports Composite, and Moeaki was one of three five-star recruits. Injuries derailed all three from having great careers, but when healthy, Moeaki displayed the most ability of any Iowa tight end under Kirk Ferentz. In 2009, Moeaki caught 30 passes for 387 yards and scored four touchdowns to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors. He capped his Iowa career with four catches for 85 yards in an Orange Bowl win against Georgia Tech.
Biggest bust: Blake Larsen, T
Iowa’s first five-star recruit in the internet age, Larsen walked in the door in 2001 with expectations of following the path of All-Americans Robert Gallery, Eric Steinbach and Bruce Nelson. Larsen was a Parade All-American and the nation’s unanimous No. 1 offensive line recruit from southwest Iowa but never approached the depth chart at Iowa. He endured multiple injuries, including a pair of knee surgeries, before his junior year and retired after four seasons.
Best developmental story: George Kittle, TE
Iowa has at least two dozen players (Desmond King, Dallas Clark, Micah Hyde, Josey Jewell and many more) who could fit in this category so it’s difficult to pick one. But development doesn’t end with a college degree, which is why Kittle is the choice here. A 247Sports and Rivals two-star recruit in 2012, Kittle was ranked as the consensus No. 199 receiver. Kittle wasn’t offered a Power 5 scholarship until signing day from Iowa. His previous options came down to Weber State or a service academy.
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In his second year, Kittle became known as “wheel-route guy” because as Iowa’s No. 5 tight end, he often ran out and up on linebackers for big catches. After barely playing his third year on campus, Kittle became a key contributor in 2015 with a team-high six touchdown catches in a 12-win season. Despite a foot sprain that cost him nearly half the season, Kittle scored four more touchdowns in 2016. At Iowa, Kittle displayed all of the skills but just scratched the surface of how he performs today as a perennial Pro Bowler with the San Francisco 49ers.
The one who got away: Melvin Gordon, RB
This one leaves a mark. A big one. Gordon reiterated multiple times he was “100 percent committed” to Iowa early in the 2010 season after the Hawkeyes were coming off an 11-2 season and No. 7 final ranking. A Kenosha, Wis., native, Gordon continued to stay committed after home state Wisconsin edged Iowa 31-30 in a battle of top-15 teams. But after a last-minute Ohio State win against the Hawkeyes, Gordon flipped to the Badgers and altered the fortunes of the longtime rivals.
In 2014, Gordon rushed for a Big Ten record 2,587 yards, including a single-game mark of 408 yards (in three quarters no less), and became a unanimous first-team All-American. He led Wisconsin to three divisional titles and the 2012 Big Ten championship. The Badgers beat Iowa every time Gordon played, including 264 total yards in a 28-26 thriller in his final Iowa City appearance in 2014. Wisconsin advanced to the Big Ten title game three times and won 13 more games overall and eight more Big Ten contests than Iowa during Gordon’s four seasons.
Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories looking back at recruiting superlatives for select Power 5 programs. The stories can be found here.
(Top photo of Tony Moeaki: Marc Serota / Getty Images)
