Wisconsin QB Deacon Hill to transfer to Iowa

Iowa's quarterback room is now taking shape for 2023 and beyond. Former Wisconsin quarterback Deacon Hill (who goes by Deacon Pe'a Hill on social media) announced his commitment to Iowa via social media on Tuesday, marking the fourth scholarship quarterback expected to be on the team in 2023.

Hill previously committed to transfer to Fordham in late December; he has since removed that announcement from social media.

Hill is listed at 6'3" and 251 pounds, and was roundly praised by teammates in the 2022 offseason for his arm strength, according to The Athletic.

Hill was a three-star recruit for Wisconsin's 2021 class, and had been committed to the Badgers since 2019. His primary recruiter for Wisconsin was Jon Budmayr, who is now on Iowa's staff, so there's some institutional familiarity that undoubtedly guided this transfer decision.

Hill redshirted in 2021 and announced his decision to transfer just a week after the firing of Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst in October. He only appeared in one game this season, playing some late minutes against New Mexico State and taking a 10-yard sack.

With this announcement, Iowa's 2023 quarterback room now consists of the following, sorted by eligibility:

Cade McNamara (junior)
Joey Labas (sophomore)
Deacon Hill (sophomore)
Marco Lainez (true freshman)

It's safe to assume as of now that the QB depth chart is in that same order, but there's an entire offseason for evaluation and players to earn their way up and down that list. Further, as the heaviest signal-caller on the team by far, Hill may be suited for some early work in goal-line and short-yardage packages — though Kirk Ferentz has typically shied away from situational substitutions at QB.

Regardless, especially knowing the way Ferentz operates, Hill's new spot on the roster likely means Lainez is all but certain to redshirt in 2023 as he acclimates to the speed and complexity of college defenses.