Weekend Recruiting Preview
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The Iowa Hawkeyes are hosting their biggest recruiting weekend in recent memory with 22 official visitors expected to be on campus in Iowa City. In this update, we take a closer look at each of the prospects that are visiting, where Iowa currently stands in their recruiting, and much more.
Alabama cornerback Omari Porter was at Iowa's junior day in February and will be returning to campus for his official visit this weekend. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Porter told us he looks forward to spending more time with the current players at Iowa on this trip.
"I can’t wait to enjoy the family aspect of the trip and learn more about the culture as well," said Porter.
A three-star prospect, Porter currently holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Stanford, Virginia, Oregon, Nebraska, Michigan, Kentucky, California, Georgia Tech, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, and UAB.
Porter, whose father is an assistant coach at Auburn, just wrapped up an unofficial visit to Stanford this week prior to his trip to Iowa.
Alabama defensive back Reginald Bracy will be getting his first look at Iowa this weekend on his official visit. The 6-foot-0, 190-pound Bracy, who stays in close contact with lead recruiter Derrick Foster, is making his second Big Ten visit in as many weeks after touring Indiana last weekend.
"I look forward to creating a strong relationship with the coaches and players and getting the feel for the campus at Iowa," said Bracy.
A three-star prospect, Bracy currently holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Indiana, Navy, Air Force, Central Michigan, Southern Miss, Troy, UAB, and South Alabama.
In early May, the Hawkeyes were the first major program to step forward with a scholarship offer for Illinois defensive back A.J. Lawson. Now, the Iowa coaching staff will have the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Decatur native on campus for his official visit.
"I am looking forward to seeing the campus and the facilities," said Lawson. "Also, meeting the players and coaches. I'm just looking to feel welcomed like home."
A three-star prospect, Lawson currently holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Wyoming, Central Michigan, Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan.
One of the most recent offers to go out in the Class of 2020 was to Indianapolis linebacker Jay Higgins, who called the opportunity a dream come true. This weekend, the 6-foot-0, 209-pound Higgins is looking forward to seeing how he fits in with the Hawkeyes and could be a commit by the time he leaves campus on Sunday.
"I'm looking for a place were I can see myself thriving for the next four years in a atmosphere that’s good for me," said Higgins.
A three-star prospect, Higgins is considering scholarship offers from Iowa, Air Force, Tulane, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Ball State, Bowling Green, Miami-OH, Toledo, and Western Illinois.
Peoria wide receiver Kaevion Mack has visited Iowa City before and looks forward to returning for his official visit this weekend to spend more time around the current players.
"I'm looking forward to the whole experience, especially having a host and just seeing what a day in the life of a Hawkeye is like," said Mack.
A 6-foot-2, 195-pound receiver, Mack is a three-star prospect with scholarship offers from Iowa, Northern Illinois, Ball State, Bowling Green, Toledo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, and Indiana State.
Connecticut wide receiver Diante Vines will be getting his first look at Iowa City this weekend after earning a scholarship offers from the Hawkeyes in May. The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Vines, who ran a 4.46 forty at Boston College's camp this month, is excited to see if Iowa might be the right fit.
"I’m looking forward to examining the environment," said Vines. "I want to be able to gather a sense of a family unit, great football, and high class academics. I’m looking forward to seeing how Iowa will benefit me years after college."
A three-star prospect, Vines holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Boston College, Army, Navy, Fordham, Howard, Sacred Heart, Monmouth, Merrimack, Bryant, Georgetown, Holy Cross, and Lehigh.
Since decommitting from Minnesota in mid-May, defensive end Aaron Witt has already made one trip to Iowa City and will be returning for his official visit this weekend. The Iowa coaching staff offered the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Witt at their camp one year ago and he remains a top target for the Hawkeyes.
"I'm looking forward to meeting some of the players on the team and some of the incoming recruits," said Witt. "I want to get a really good feel for the people there."
Witt is a three-star prospect with scholarship offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Iowa State, Oregon State, Wyoming, Toledo, Ohio, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and UNI.
Highly sought after Michigan defensive end Bryce Mostella will be back in Iowa City this weekend for his fourth visit with the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Mostella has previously been to a junior day, last summer's Hawkeye Tailgater, and a game day visit last fall, but looks to learn even more about Iowa on his official visit this weekend.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how the coaches and players interact with each other," said Mostella.
Mostella, who made an official visit to Penn State last weekend, holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Miami, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Syracuse, Boston College, Cincinnati, Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan.
The three-star prospect has yet to narrow things down, but told us he would be after wrapping up his official visits this month.
After earning a scholarship offer from Iowa in May, highly recruited Indiana defensive end Deontae Craig will be getting his first look at Iowa City on his official visit this weekend.
"It'll be my first trip down there, so I’m looking forward to getting to know all the coaches and seeing the facilities as well as seeing what the academics are like," said Craig.
Craig, who has already made official visits to Indiana and Tennessee, currently holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Purdue, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Washington State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, Ball State, and Indiana State.
In May, the three-star prospect named a top eight of Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, and Northwestern.
Coming off an official visit to Michigan State earlier this week, tight end Luke Lachey heads to Iowa next to learn more about the Hawkeyes, who offered him a scholarship this past month. For the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Lachey, whose father played at Ohio State, it will be his trip to Iowa City.
"I’m really looking forward to seeing the coaches, the facilities, and meeting guys who are committed to the program," said Lachey.
A three-star prospect, Lachey holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, LSU, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Louisville, Indiana, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Liberty, Ohio, Princeton, Toledo, Tulane, Yale, and Youngstown State.
A new addition to the visitors list this week, cornerback Brenden Deasfernandes received an invite after impressing the Iowa coaches at camp this month. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Michigan native does not have an offer from the Hawkeyes yet, but is excited about the recent interest.
"I haven’t received an offer yet, but I sure hope I do," said Deasfernandes. "I love the atmosphere, the coaches as well as the players there too."
Currently unranked, Deasfernandes holds scholarship offers from Southeast Missouri State, Northwood, and Davenport.
One final addition for Iowa's big recruiting weekend is Lukas Van Ness, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive end from Barrington, IL, who attended Iowa's camp this month and now has a scholarship offer from the Hawkeyes.
With a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Van Ness is a big, rangy defensive end that has earned a wide range of scholarship offers. His list currently includes Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, Wyoming, Air Force, Navy, Memphis, Tulane, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, Lehigh, Holy Cross, Tennessee-Martin, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Southern Illinois, South Dakota, and Western Illinois.
The Hawkeyes will also have a number of their commits on hand, taking their official visits and helping the recruiting efforts, led by four-star quarterback Deuce Hogan, who remains very active in trying to get other top targets to join him at Iowa.
"I am really looking forward to meeting all my teammates," said Hogan. "I feel close with these guys already and I can’t wait to meet them all."
Joining Hogan in Iowa City will be Hawkeye commits Elijah Yelverton, Yahya Black, Leshon Williams, Gavin Williams, Josh Volk, Ethan Hurkett, Logan Jones, Isaiah Bruce, and Michael Lois.
Stay with HawkeyeReport.com this weekend for the latest news on Iowa football recruiting.