As he announced on social media on Sunday, Iowa football has added a commitment from 2026 four-star safety, Marcello Vitti. A Rivals250 prospect, Vitti is the No. 148 recruit in the country, the No. 9 safety in the class, and the No. 2 player in the state of Michigan.
Fresh off a visit to campus for Iowa's 13-10 win over Nebraska, Vitti shared with Hawkeye Beacon that he was leaning towards Iowa before he made the trip to campus for a gameday visit, but seeing the victory solidified his decision.
"I knew that’s where I belonged while I was there," he said. "People told me it would just happen, that when you know, you know. It definitely hit me when I was there. I knew it and told Coach (Phil) Parker."
Premium subscribers knew about Vitti's oncoming commitment prior to his announcement.
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Vitti chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn and more. One key factor that set the Hawkeyes apart was Parker.
"He kind of does it the old school way, but I like it like that" Vitti said this summer. "He's been around for a long time, so he knows what he's doing. He recruits the right guys and puts guys in the NFL."
"He does recruiting differently than all the other guys. He wants to build a connection with you before he does anything. That means calling, texting, visiting. He's not going to offer you and then not talk to you for two weeks."
The approach made Vitti feel valued.
"When you've got a coach on you like that, it means a lot," he said. "He's trying to build a connection with you as a human. They want to get to know you -- who you are. It feels different."
Parker and the staff shared a vision for his college career that was easy for Vitti to buy into.
"I think they see me more as a CASH," Vitti said after his visit in June. "Geno Stone is the guy they were comparing me to. I think I could play all three positions (CASH, safety, cornerback), though. It just depends on what coach wants me where and where they see the best fit. I think I have the ability to play in the box, and I can also cover man to man. It doesn't really matter to me. It's about whatever gets me on the field."
Along with Stone, the staff showed him film of a few other former Hawkeyes.
"I've watched Cooper DeJean," he said. "They also talked to me about Bob Sanders. They were telling me about how he was the leader of their defense. I turned on his film and I was like 'Oh my God.'"
A two-way player at Divine Child, Vitti posted 76 tackles, ten tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and ten pass breakups on defense. Offensively, he had 151 carries for 815 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 24 catches for 579 yards and eight scores through the air. As a returner, he also brought back four kicks for 220 yards and a touchdown.
Vitti is Iowa's third commit in the 2026 recruiting class. He joins three-star offensive tackle Carson Nielsen and three-star quarterback, Cash Herrera.
