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Recapping Iowa football’s string of recent commitments

Josh Helmer
·5 min read
1

The Iowa Hawkeyes hosted several big recruiting weekends over the past month, including the big Hawkeye Tailgater that featured a number of top targets.

Like many programs, Iowa’s coaching staff is looking to iron down a good portion of its eventual 2024 signing class right now in the summer before prospects’ senior seasons begin. Thanks to a terrific start in this 2024 cycle with a number of in-state targets, the Hawkeyes were already in good shape before the Hawkeye Tailgater.

Now, Iowa has ironed down several more of its big targets. With all of the summer moving and shaking in the recruiting world, there’s been a lot to try to keep track of.

We’re here to make it easy on you, Hawkeye Nation. Who all has committed to Iowa over the past several weeks? Let’s take a look.

TE Michael Burt

Michael Burt, a tight end out of Creighton Prep in Omaha, Neb., got the party started for Iowa post-Hawkeye Tailgater. Hats off for the PlayStation 5 announcement as well. A commitment well done.

A consensus three-star recruit across 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals, the 6-foot-5, 230 pound tight end caught 11 passes for 187 yards with one score per MaxPreps. ESPN rates Burt the highest, ranking him as the nation’s No. 21 tight end and as the No. 9 player from Nebraska.

Iowa won this recruitment over fellow Big Ten foes Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota.

EDGE Devan Kennedy

The son of former Penn State defensive tackle and first-round 2003 NFL draft pick Jimmy Kennedy, Devan committed to Iowa over offers from Penn State, Illinois and Oregon State.

Seen as a fast riser, Kennedy only just completed his first season playing football. Per MaxPreps, he registered 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks with Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Ariz. He also added 50 pounds of weight since the beginning of last football season. Kennedy is now 6-foot-3, 240 pounds.

Kennedy is a consensus three-star commit. ESPN ranks Kennedy the highest, listing him as the nation’s No. 83 defensive end and the No. 24 player from Arizona.

S/LB Graham Eben

Come on down, Graham Eben! The Central Lyon product committed to a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Hawkeyes. On3 rates Eben as a three-star talent, as the nation’s No. 132 safety and as the No. 17 player from the Hawkeye State. Meanwhile, 247Sports regards Eben as a two-star talent.

Given Iowa’s storied walk-on tradition and the fact that it just turned former two-star signee Riley Moss into a third-round NFL draft pick with the Denver Broncos, I’d say Iowa fans can rest assured that Phil Parker and co. found another developmental piece they like.

WR Reece Vander Zee

Iowa locked up one of the top skill targets in this 2024 cycle by adding a commitment from in-state wide receive Reece Vander Zee. The 6-foot-5, 190 pound wide receiver is also out of Central Lyon High School. He reeled in 32 grabs for 768 yards with 10 touchdowns.

Rated as a consensus three-star commit, Vander Zee earns the highest praise from 247Sports. The recruiting service ranks Vander Zee as the nation’s No. 116 wide receiver and as the No. 8 player from Iowa.

He chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Iowa State, Nebraska Air Force, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and others.

TE Gavin Hoffman

One of the top talents from the Sunflower State, Gavin Hoffman committed to the Hawkeyes over offers from a number of Power 5 programs. That list included Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue, Tennessee and Texas Tech.

The 6-foot-5, 225 pound tight end from Blue Valley Northwest in Overland Park, Kan., is regarded as a consensus three-star commit. Per 247Sports, he is the country’s No. 28 tight end and the No. 3 player from the state of Kansas.

WR KJ Parker

Iowa capped off its flurry of commitments by adding another pledge in the wide receiver room with KJ Parker. The 5-foot-11, 175 pound wide receiver joins the Hawkeyes from Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst, Ill.

Per MaxPreps, Parker reeled in 37 catches for 1,082 yards and had an incredible 17 touchdown grabs last season with Immaculate Conception. He chose Iowa over offers from Cincinnati, Iowa State and Wisconsin.

A three-star commit across 247Sports, On3 and Rivals, it’s Rivals that ranks Parker the highest. The service regards Parker as the nation’s No. 64 athlete and as the No. 15 player from Illinois.

EDGE Joseph Anderson

The 6-foot-5, 210 pound EDGE is out of Westminster Christian Academy in Saint Louis, Mo. He chose the Hawkeyes over offers from fellow Power 5 programs Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Vanderbilt.

Anderson is rated as a consensus three-star commit across 247Sports, On3 and Rivals. 247Sports ranks Anderson as the nation’s No. 45 EDGE and the No. 11 player from Missouri. Rivals rates Anderson as the No. 20 player from Missouri, while On3 lists Anderson as the No. 41 EDGE and the No. 9 player from the Show-Me State.

Anderson was an all-district and all-state selection. He registered 54 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks last season in his third year playing football.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire