So what do you think about 2026 recruiting

[longtimer]

12 commits 2 WRs 1 Athlete. No QB or RB
247 has us 44 with some pretty good OL Lbs and Dbs
Both Illinois and Minnesota have a lot more and Illinois is top 15
Clones were higher until they lost their top recruit to Alabama I think they might be around 50 with more commits than us but no big gets

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Rivals has us at 31. Rankings are so subjective they really don't mean much once you get past the Top 15 blue bloods. Trying to compare Iowa's class with Minnesota is about as useful as debating whether Mary Anne or Ginger was hotter. Totally subjective.

I like the class and trust KF and his team to find talent they can develop. I prefer we find middle guys that won't command much money to get in the door so we can save the real cash for transfers and upper classman starters. That will be Iowa's approach and it should be.

This class seems strong in the trenches and at LB. Very Iowa.

They need a QB, but given the depth of the current room and the availability of the portal, its actually not mission critical that they find a QB in this class.

Frankly, the portal has made high school recruiting much less critical. Its still very important at developmental schools like Iowa, but less so.

 

[99topdawg]

 

[Fryowa]

I don't even spend 30 seconds following it. It's useless.

If there's a local kid from our high school conference getting recruited I keep tabs on that but with free transfers and big money out there, if a kid is good enough to make a difference at Iowa he's good enough for another school to offer him more money right before the start of camps or the following off-season which is happening all the time. Revenue sharing may change how it happens, but it'll still happen until contracts become a thing.

A ran into LeVar Woods at a local track meet this year and chatted for a while, I didn't even realize until after our conversation that I never even asked him who he was there to see. Just didn't care I guess.

Why waste time thinking about recruiting when LOIs aren't worth their weight in toilet paper?

Honestly in a twisted way it's kind of refreshing. Once the team actually takes the field is the first time I really start trying to learn anything about the players. I go into the season with zero expectations for any of Iowa's players and I don't have any opinion formed until I see them in-game. It's more fun that way.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

View attachment 11465

Those are some big hogs. Can't wait to see them on the field in a couple years.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I don't even spend 30 seconds following it. It's useless.

If there's a local kid from our high school conference getting recruited I keep tabs on that but with free transfers and big money out there, if a kid is good enough to make a difference at Iowa he's good enough for another school to offer him more money right before the start of camps or the following off-season which is happening all the time. Revenue sharing may change how it happens, but it'll still happen until contracts become a thing.

A ran into LeVar Woods at a local track meet this year and chatted for a while, I didn't even realize until after our conversation that I never even asked him who he was there to see. Just didn't care I guess.

Why waste time thinking about recruiting when LOIs aren't worth their weight in toilet paper?

Honestly in a twisted way it's kind of refreshing. Once the team actually takes the field is the first time I really start trying to learn anything about the players. I go into the season with zero expectations for any of Iowa's players and I don't have any opinion formed until I see them in-game. It's more fun that way.

I am not far off from this, Fry. That said, the House Settlement may change how all this goes down for the better, at least from a fan's perspective. Once the schools start paying these kids directly, they will assuredly require contracts. When it was just schollies and food, all the kid signed was a LOI, which I agree has become worthless with free transfers in the portal. However, a contract could have terms of service, non-compete provisions, and penalties for early transfers. All of those things may not be enforceable, and until Congress gets off its ass, every state and school will have different rules, but its at least possible that money and contracts could return some level of stability to the sport that the NCAA let slip away through its incompetent management. If these kids are now, essentially pros, with contracts, they will have to abide by them. Patrick Mahommes can't just decide one day he'd rather play for the Jets and unilaterally move to New York.

 

[99topdawg]

I don't even spend 30 seconds following it. It's useless.

If there's a local kid from our high school conference getting recruited I keep tabs on that but with free transfers and big money out there, if a kid is good enough to make a difference at Iowa he's good enough for another school to offer him more money right before the start of camps or the following off-season which is happening all the time. Revenue sharing may change how it happens, but it'll still happen until contracts become a thing.

A ran into LeVar Woods at a local track meet this year and chatted for a while, I didn't even realize until after our conversation that I never even asked him who he was there to see. Just didn't care I guess.

Why waste time thinking about recruiting when LOIs aren't worth their weight in toilet paper?

Honestly in a twisted way it's kind of refreshing. Once the team actually takes the field is the first time I really start trying to learn anything about the players. I go into the season with zero expectations for any of Iowa's players and I don't have any opinion formed until I see them in-game. It's more fun that way.

I would be anxious to see the number of 5 star, 4 star, etc. that flip at least once. Is it the high profile kid that can negotiate a bigger payday somewhere else? I also wonder how much difference there is now and before NIL of mid-major kids flipping to P4 teams.

 

[Grady]

I am not far off from this, Fry. That said, the House Settlement may change how all this goes down for the better, at least from a fan's perspective. Once the schools start paying these kids directly, they will assuredly require contracts. When it was just schollies and food, all the kid signed was a LOI, which I agree has become worthless with free transfers in the portal. However, a contract could have terms of service, non-compete provisions, and penalties for early transfers. All of those things may not be enforceable, and until Congress gets off its ass, every state and school will have different rules, but its at least possible that money and contracts could return some level of stability to the sport that the NCAA let slip away through its incompetent management. If these kids are now, essentially pros, with contracts, they will have to abide by them. Patrick Mahommes can't just decide one day he'd rather play for the Jets and unilaterally move to New York.

Perhaps. But in addition to shopping around for more $$ -- and more GUARANTEED $$ -- why wouldn't athletes just shop around for contracts with the fewest limits and most favorable terms?