Hawkeyes pick up New Jersey DE

New Jersey defensive end Mike Daniels returned home late Sunday night after making an official visit to the University of Iowa this weekend. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Daniels attends Highland Regional High School, where he plays for head coach Frank Plefka, who caught up with the senior this morning.

"I spoke with Mike when he got to school this morning and he told me he committed to Iowa," said Plefka.

In committing to the Hawkeyes, Daniels chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Temple and Villanova, along with recent interest from Pittsburgh. According to Plefka, the two-star prospect was excited to get the weight of the decision off his shoulders.

"He had a great time on the visit and said they have a phenomenal weight room," Plefka said. "He was really excited about his decision."

As a senior, Daniels played defensive end, defensive tackle, and running back for Highland, who finished 4-6 on the season. While he played football at about 230 pounds this year, the senior cut down to 215 for wrestling and currently holds an 18-1 record. According to Plefka, who says the two-star prospect could grow to about 280 pounds in college, Iowa is getting a hard working, tough player in Daniels.

"He's a fantastic player," said Plefka. "He's smart, aggressive, and really athletic. We timed him at 4.6 in the forty this year. His best attribute is his athleticism and when you put that together with his strength, it's a pretty potent combination."