Hawkeyes offer 2022 LB Nolan Ziegler

Class of 2022 prospect Nolan Ziegler has been staying in close contact with the Iowa coaching staff and added a new scholarship from the Hawkeyes today. For the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Ziegler, the opportunity came from lead recruiter Kelvin Bell, who sees the versatile Michigan native playing linebacker in college.

"I just called Coach Bell, like usual once every week or so, and today he decided to give me an offer," said Ziegler. "Iowa sees me as either an outside linebacker or a middle linebacker depending on how I develop over the next couple years."

While Ziegler is still learning more about the Hawkeyes, he says that he likes what he has heard so far and also has a family connection to the program.

"They are a great school and I think very highly of them," Ziegler said. "They aren’t too far away from home and I actually have three relatives who played there back in the 30s and 60s, which is pretty cool."

Those relatives would be an uncle and two cousins of Ziegler's grandpa, including Floyd McDowell, an offensive lineman at Iowa in the 1930s, Larry McDowell, a receiver and punter in the 1960s, and Layne McDowell, a defensive tackle in the 1960s.

As for Ziegler's recruiting, Rivals.com currently lists him at wide receiver, but most of his college interest has been on the defensive side of the ball so far, including all three of his major offers.

"I have been offered to play safety at Boston College, outside linebacker at Nebraska and outside linebacker at Iowa, but I think right now they are just waiting to see how I develop and want to use me wherever they can," said Ziegler.

Ziegler's full list of scholarship offers includes Iowa, Nebraska, Boston College, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, and Bowling Green.

See highlights from Ziegler's sophomore year at Grand Rapids Central Catholic High School in the video below.