As we continue our signing day coverage, we take a look back chronologically at how the recruiting class of 2022 came together over the past couple years for the Iowa Hawkeyes, starting with the first commit all the way up to the latest.
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June 25, 2019 - Commitment #1
The very first commitment in the Class of 2022 was the earliest we have ever seen as it came a full two and half years ago when in-state defensive lineman Aaron Graves committed on the spot after earning an offer at Iowa's camp following his freshman year of high school. A lifelong Hawkeye fan, Graves called the opportunity a dream come true and was happy to get his college decision out of the way early so he could focus on his high school career. Eventually growing to 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, Graves was invited to play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio in January as one of the top players in the country. As a senior, Graves led Southeast Valley to a state title this year, finishing the season with 63 tackles, 14 TFL, and 7.5 sacks.
With an extended dead period for recruiting due to the pandemic, Iowa's second commit didn't come until nearly 20 months later when Kansas defensive end Caden Crawford gave his verbal pledge in February 2021. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Crawford chose the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Minnesota, citing Iowa's business program and his relationship with defensive line coach Kelvin Bell. Kansas State stayed after Crawford, but after an official visit to Iowa City in June, he was all in with the Hawkeyes and plans to enroll early, starting college in January. Playing linebacker in high school, Crawford finished his senior season with 103 tackles and 17 TFL this year.
Once the recruiting calendar finally opened up in June and college visits were allowed, offensive lineman Jack Dotzler wasted no time in getting to Iowa City so he could commit in person. Despite growing up in Waunakee, WI, which is just north of Madison, the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Dotzler grew up a diehard Hawkeye fan with both of his parents being University of Iowa graduates. A three-star prospect, Dotzler chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Penn State, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, Harvard, Dartmouth, and North Dakota State, among others. As a senior, he helped Waunakee win a state championship with a perfect 14-0 record.
Iowa's fourth commitment also came from a Hawkeye fan growing up in Wisconsin as linebacker Jayden Montgomery committed on a campus visit on June 8. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Montgomery is the son of former Hawkeye Jerry Montgomery, now an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers, and was actually born in Iowa City so the chance to play at Iowa was definitely a dream come true. Montgomery chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Troy, North Dakota State, Southern Illinois, Indiana State, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Penn, and Princeton. Unfortunately, a torn ACL forced him to miss most of his senior season at Bay Port this year.
Up next was in-state offensive lineman Kale Krogh a week later as he committed on June 15 after earning a scholarship offer at Iowa's camp a week before. The 6-foot-6, 267-pound Krogh said his dad, who graduated from Iowa, always told him "If Iowa offers, you say thank you, where can I sign?'" so he had a pretty good idea where he was going once the opportunity came. A three-star prospect, he chose the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Minnesota, Tulane, Toledo, Northern Illinois, Miami-OH, Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Penn, and Northern Iowa. As a senior, Krogh led the way upfront as Ballard finished with over 2,000 yards rushing on its way to a 5-5 record.
At the end of June, Iowa finally got its quarterback in the Class of 2022 as Oklahoma native Carson May committed shortly after receiving a scholarship offer from the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound May attended Iowa's camp, but did not hear back right away, so when Ken O'Keefe called to give him the news it brought tears to his eyes receiving his first major offer. May, who chose Iowa over Western Michigan and Old Dominion, went on to have an impressive senior season as he threw for 3,082 yards with 37 touchdowns and only four interceptions, leading Jones to an 8-4 record.
The 1st of July brought commitment No. 7 for the Hawkeyes as Illinois wide receiver Jacob Bostick announced his decision following his official visit to Iowa City the week before. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Bostick cited Iowa's honesty, transparency, and consistency throughout the recruiting process as being key to his decision. A three-star prospect, he chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Illinois, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Kansas State, Air Force, Army, and Navy, among others. As a senior, Bostick was limited to just four games due to a knee injury, but still managed to collect 16 catches for 234 yards and two touchdowns this season at Palatine High School.
As Iowa's search for a tight end continued into July, the Hawkeyes started focusing in on Addison Ostrenga, who was actually already going to the University of Iowa, but with plans to play baseball not football at the time. After attending two of Iowa's camps in June, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Ostrenga eventually earned a scholarship offer from the Hawkeyes and decided to pursue just one sport in college, which would be football, and he committed on July 16. A three-star prospect, Ostrenga had a great senior season with 46 catches for 664 yards and eight touchdowns on offense and 57 tackles, 17 TFL, and nine sacks on defense as he led Sun Prairie to a 13-1 record.
In August, the Hawkeyes landed commitment No. 9 when Florida running back Jaziun Patterson announced his decision during a live ceremony for Deerfield Beach recruits. A 5-foot-10, 182-pound prospect, Patterson saw his recruiting take several twists and turns along the way as he held dozens of offers his sophomore year, but saw some of those dry up after a COVID shortened junior season. Ultimately, it was Iowa's zone based run scheme that help make up Patterson's mind as it should be a good fit for his skill set and he plans to get an early start by enrolling in January.
With Iowa looking to add another tight end in the Class of 2022, Indiana native Cael Vanderbush made a game day visit in late September and ended up walking away with a scholarship offer. Two days later, the 6-foot-6, 200-pound Vanderbush called the Iowa coaching staff to accept, giving the Hawkeyes their tenth commitment in the class. A three-star prospect, Vanderbush chose Iowa over scholarship offers from Utah, Western Michigan, and Air Force. As a senior, he had a big season with 35 catches for 736 yards and eight touchdowns for Plainfield High School.
As Iowa continued to look for a second running back to take in the class, they went back to one of their original targets, Kaleb Johnson, who committed to California in June. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Ohio native came in for an official visit to watch the Hawkeyes' win over Penn State and gave his commitment a few days later to push Iowa's total up to 11 in the class. A four-star prospect, Johnson chose Iowa over offers from California, Michigan State, Iowa State, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Marshall, and Liberty, among others. As a senior, he finished the season with 127 carries for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns for Hamilton High School.
No doubt commitment No. 12 for the Hawkeyes was a big one. One of the biggest in Kirk Ferentz's 23 years at Iowa, in fact, and maybe the biggest ever from inside state borders. That came from five-star safety Xavier Nwankpa, who announced for Iowa on his birthday, December 8, choosing the Hawkeyes over a list of 31 scholarship offers that included Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama, and just about every other major program out there. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder cited the stability with Iowa's coaching staff, the atmosphere he witnessed at the Iowa-Penn State game, and the success the Hawkeyes have had with defensive backs in choosing the Hawkeyes. Nwankpa, who will play in the All-American Bowl on January 8, will be an early enrollee starting classes at Iowa next month. As a senior, Nwankpa led Southeast Polk to its first state title in school history, finishing the season with 26 tackles and four interceptions on defense, 33 catches for 391 yards and five touchdowns on offense, and 307 return yards and one touchdown on special teams.
In-state linebacker Landyn Van Kekerix was Iowa's first new commitment announced on signing day, pushing the total up to 13 for the moment. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Van Kekerix decided Iowa was the right fit after making an official visit to campus the previous weekend. He chose the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State. As a senior, Van Kekerix led Rock Valley/Boyden-Hull to the state championship game in Class 3A, finishing the season with 707 yards rushing, 811 yards receiving, and 33 touchdowns on offense along with 76 tackles and 11.5 TFL on defense.
The next signing day commitment for the Hawkeyes came from four-star defensive end Brian Allen Jr. A Chicago native, Allen attends prep school in Connecticut, but will be coming back to the Midwest to college and will enroll early at Iowa, starting classes in January. Allen chose the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Oregon, Illinois, West Virginia, Purdue, Iowa State, Virginia Tech, Kansas, Connecticut, and Arkansas State, among others.
Michigan cornerback Olando Trader was Iowa's third commitment on signing day, signing with the Hawkeyes Wednesday afternoon. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound Trader said his decision was all about the chance to develop under Phil Parker, one of the best defensive coaches in the country. A three-star prospect, Trader chose the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Nebraska and Vanderbilt.
The fourth signing day commitment for the Hawkeyes came from Michigan defensive back Koen Entringer, a versatile three-star prospect that could play corner or safety in college. Entringer picked Iowa over finalists Wisconsin, Michigan, and Boston College, and other scholarship offers during the recruiting process included Notre Dame, Utah, Colorado, Maryland, Syracuse, and Vanderbilt, among others. As a senior, Entringer finished the season with 88 tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and one interception on defense and 26 catches for 444 yards and six touchdowns on offense for Walled Lake Western High School.
The final signing day commitment came from California defensive back TJ Hall, who announce his choice live on Instagram Wednesday. The 6-foot-0, 166-pound Hall was able to make a second visit to Iowa City this past weekend where he said the culture, the tradition, the people, the coaches, and the stability helped make up his mind. A three-star prospect, Hall chose Iowa over finalists Washington and Michigan. During the recruiting process, he also received scholarship offers from Arizona, Colorado, Oregon State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, and UNLV.
