Top in-state names and games to watch this season
Iowa high school football season is just about to kick off, which means it is time to take a look at some of the best games the Iowa Hawkeyes' commits and top targets will be playing in this fall.
The Commitments
Name: Aaron Graves
High School: Southeast Valley
Class of: 2022
Top Game to Watch: September 17th vs. OABCIG
More: Graves has spent his high school career dominating opposing linemen and is primed for another all state campaign as a senior. This long-time Iowa commit has been working hard to improve on the 18.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks he totaled a year ago.
Name: Kale Krogh
High School: Ballard
Class of: 2022
Top Game to Watch: September 24th at Humboldt
More: Krogh may have been recruited more for his skills on the offensive line, but that has not stopped him from being a force defensively as well. This all-stater ended his with 45.5 tackles and is looking to make a push at first team all state honors in 2021.
Name: Maddux Borcherding-Johnson
High School: Norwalk
Class of: 2023
Top Game to Watch: September 10th at Lewis Central
More: The presence of Borcherding-Johnson in the trenches defensively has been a game changer at Norwalk. Combined with his improvement over the off-season, he has a chance to be among the state leaders in tackles for loss after racking up eight as a sophomore.
Name: Cam Buffington
High School: Winfield-Mount Union
Class of: 2024
Top Game to Watch: September 10th at New London
More: Buffington certainly did not let his age slow him down from being a factor in all facets of the game at Winfield-Mount Union. He finished with over 1,000-total yards and 50 tackles during a stellar freshman season.
Name: Cody Fox
High School: East Buchanan
Class of: 2024
Top Game to Watch: October 15th vs. South Winneshiek
More: It will be quite some time before Fox suits up for the Hawkeyes and that will allow this big man to continue to make strides in his game. He was tough to block in his first year of high school with 24.5 tackles while also averaging a respectable 35.3 yards per punt.
The Offered Recruits
Name: Kadyn Proctor
High School: Southeast Polk
Class of: 2023
Top Games to Watch: August 27th vs. Dowling, September 3rd vs. Valley, September 17th at Ankeny
More: Being rated as the #1 offensive tackle and #5 player in the country by Rivals shows you the potential of Proctor. This big man will have his choice of college options throughout the country and will prove why once again during the season.
Name: Xavier Nwankpa
High School: Southeast Polk
Class of: 2022
Top Games to Watch: August 27th vs. Dowling, September 3rd vs. Valley, September 17th at Ankeny
More: The only thing missing from the resume of this talented five-star is to take home a state title. He helped the Rams to the title game last year, but is seeking more while also figuring out where he wants to play his college football.
Name: JJ Kohl
High School: Ankeny
Class of: 2023
Top Games to Watch: September 10th at Dowling, September 17th vs. Southeast Polk, October 1st vs. Valley
More: The potential of Kohl is off the charts and it shows with the college recruiting interest he has been garnering throughout the country. As a junior, he threw for nearly 900-yards and is excited to see what a busy off-season improvement will allow him to achieve this fall.
Name: Kai Black
High School: Urbandale
Class of: 2023
Top Game to Watch: September 10th vs. Valley
More: The Hawkeyes have worked hard to recruit a number of Urbandale prospects over the years and Black is next in line. He caught nine passes for 177 yards as a sophomore and a strong run during the camp season took his recruiting to another level.
Name: Alex Mota
High School: Marion
Class of: 2023
Top Game to Watch: September 3rd at Cedar Rapids Washington
More: Mota will once again be asked to wear a variety of different hats for Marion heading into the season. That versatility allowed him to stand out offensively and defensively for a team expected to be on the rise in 2021.
Name: Andrew DePaepe
High School: Pleasant Valley
Class of: 2023
Top Game to Watch: October 1st at Bettendorf
More: DePaepe saw his recruiting skyrocket to another level over the off-season and is ready to showcase why so many college coaches want him on their campus. This junior and Pleasant Valley are hoping to make an even deeper run in during the playoffs after making it to the UNI-Dome a year ago.
Name: Asa Newsom
High School: Waverly-Shell Rock
Class of: 2023
Top Game to Watch: October 15th at Western Dubuque
More: Newsom continues to develop into a more elite athlete by the day and it will show for a Waverly-Shell Rock team seeking to make a postseason run. He finished with over 800 yards and 30 tackles as a sophomore and is primed for even more this time around.
Stay tuned to HawkeyeReport.com for the latest on Iowa football recruiting and IowaPreps.com for the best coverage of Iowa high school athletics.