27d ago football Edit

COMMIT: Iowa Adds North Dakota Transfer OL Cade Borud

Eliot Clough • Go Iowa Awesome

Recruiting Analyst

A former Northern Iowa basketball and football Insider for Townsquare Media, Eliot joins the team as Go Iowa Awesome's new recruiting analyst. He brings experience and know-how for recruit evaluation.

IOWA CITY -- Following his visit to campus this weekend, North Dakota transfer and offensive lineman Cade Borud announced his commitment to Iowa. Borud is joining Iowa as a preferred walk-on. He chose the Hawkeyes over several other schools that reached out to him via the transfer portal.

While with the Fighting Hawks, Borud served as a backup guard during his freshman campaign, in which he redshirted. As a redshirt freshman, Borud stepped into the starting center position. After a stellar year with UND he earned FCS All-American honors from Phil Steele and was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team.

A product of Southeast Polk High School in Des Moines, Borud earned three straight all-state first team selections and was selected to the all-state elite team in his last season. In addition to his individual accomplishments, he was part of Southeast Polk's 2021 5A state title team with fellow Division I recruits Jaxon Dailey (Arkansas State and transferred Northern Iowa), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), Abu Sama (Iowa State) and Xavier Nwankpa (Iowa).

During that championship season, he helped pave the way for two 840+ yards running backs and nearly 23 touchdowns on the ground between his starting quarterback and two primary ball-carriers.

He chose North Dakota over offers from Western Illinois, Southeast Missouri, South Dakota State and several Division II offers.

Impact

With injuries to Logan Jones and Gennings Dunker, the Iowa offensive line has struggled with depth during the spring. Though the seasoned duo is expected to be back and 100% for summer, adding another player on the interior will be beneficial for the Hawkeyes, whose offensive line production has declined in recent years.

Though it's unlikely Borud will step in and play center, given Jones' experience and Tyler Elsbury's play last season, he can help Iowa out at the guard position next season.

Depending on the continued development of Beau Stephens and Connor Colby, he could side in to play one of their two assumed-starter positions on the interior of the offensive line.