With an impressive frame and strong work ethic, the recruiting of Urbandale defensive end Max Llewellyn went to another level and ended up with a commitment to Iowa. We caught up with his coach, Sam Anderson, and talked to him about this future Hawkeye.

Q: How would you describe him overall as a football player?

ANDERSON: I think the first thing is that he has a huge frame to build upon. He is athletic. Obviously as a two-way guy for us playing in 4A on both sides of the ball, he is pretty versatile. I think he is raw in a sense that a year ago he was a sophomore receiver who was 165 pounds. He is a hard worker and was able to really get into the weight room and commit to football. He is taking care of his body. He has a good motor and a good, quick first step.

Q: Was the weight gain due to more maturity or hard work?

ANDERSON: Both combined. Obviously, no matter what, you’ll have to put the work in if you want to gain weight. His family is big. His dad is a big guy. You knew eventually he’d grow into that body, but he really worked hard at it.

Q:What do you feel are his main strengths at this point?

ANDERSON: I would say the first thing is that he plays with an edge. He likes to get after it and be physical. I think his biggest strength would be his versatility. He is a kid that can really play a lot of different places. Within a program, he can project out in a lot of different ways.

Q: What areas is he going to continue working on as he prepares for the rest of this season and beyond?

ANDERSON: Obviously, this situation is a little different with what is going on. Like anyone, he has to improve his flexibility and that is something he needs to work on. On the football end, I want to make sure he is ready on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, he needs to work on his routes. He was a full-time defensive end that came in at spots on offense. We want to work on routes and timing with his quarterback. I think he will want to continue working to develop his repertoire of moves on the defensive line.

Q: What separates him from his peers to get the type of attention and honors that he has received?

ANDERSON: I think for the most part, he jumps out at you on tape. That is one thing I’d say. You just don’t have many guys with that frame that love football who also have that versatility, He is not a player who is scheme specific who fits into a 3-4 or 4-3. I think he brings a lot of versatility, whether on the offensive of defensive sides of the ball. One of the first offers came and they said that they liked he versatility. They were offering him as a tight end and a defensive end. Once you start getting a couple offers, the phone starts ringing off the hook.

Q: Did you expect his recruiting to pickup as quickly as it did?

ANDERSON: Probably not that quickly. We thought he had a really good junior year and he played heavier than he was. He had a really good off-season and they were able to see that. I think things move so much faster now than they did a few years ago. They move faster now with everything going on with Covid-19. There were a lot of conversations with coaches and it was from schools like Alabama to Penn State that were interested. They said that he has that frame and they liked him on both sides of the ball. I think that is what separates him. He is a big, athletic kid.

Q: Why did he pick the Hawkeyes in the end?

ANDERSON: I think in the end, it came down to Iowa State and Iowa. Iowa State wanted him as more of a tight end. Iowa saw them more as a defensive lineman. That was the position and fit he was looking for. He feels more comfortable on the defensive side of the ball now. At either program, you will get well coached and have great competition. The ultimate decision for Max was that it was just the right fit for him.

Q: Did it help having Jaden Harrell committed to Iowa as well?

ANDERSON: He was going to make the decision best for Max, but it is definitely a bonus. Obviously, you are able to know another person going in so that helps. They have been playing football since sixth grade when they were little guys. They have played all the way through and that is special to play all the way through with someone in middle school, high school, and the opportunity in college.

Q: How was it working with the Iowa staff during the recruiting process?

ANDERSON: They do a tremendous job. Coach Wallace spearheaded things with Jaden along with Coach Niemann recruiting the area. They do a fantastic job of developing relationships during recruiting. I think that ultimately is a huge factor when kids pick an eventual school. Obviously, Coach Doyle and what he does with strength is a huge benefit. They know how to develop players with their best days ahead.

This past season, Llewellyn had 37 tackles, 11.5 TFL, and four sacks for Urbandale.

See highlights from his junior year in the video below.