Texas receiver with Iowa ties offered scholarship
IOWA CITY, Iowa– The Iowa football team’s recruiting presence in Texas seems to be growing by the day.
Three-star receiver Gavin Holmes is the latest Texas native to receive a scholarship from Iowa.
His familiarity with the state of Iowa has helped to place the Hawkeyes near the top of Holmes’ list of approximately 25 scholarship offers.
"It was a great feeling, I was super excited," Holmes said of being offered by Iowa. "(Iowa is) definitely in the mix with my top schools. Definitely top five."
Holmes, 5-foot-11, 180-pound high school senior-to-be from Justin Texas, was born in Iowa and still has family living in the state.
"I have tons of family in Iowa," Holmes said. "I was born in Des Moines and my grandpa is a huge Hawkeye fan."
Receiver is a position of need for Iowa with Tevaun Smith and Jacob Hillyer both having used up their eligibility last season, and with Matt Vandeberg entering his senior season this fall. Vandeberg led Iowa in receiving yards (703) and catches (65) last season.
Iowa receivers coach Bobby Kennedy has been the lead recruiter for Holmes. Kennedy is familiar with the landscape in Texas after coaching the receivers for the University of Texas from 2004-10.
"I talk to coach Kennedy the most," Holmes said. "He said he is in the process of rebuilding his receiving group and wants me to lead the way."
Holmes finished with 828 yards and eight touchdowns on 61 receptions last season for Northwest High School in Justin.
Iowa currently has 10 players committed to its 2017 recruiting class, including four-star running back Eno Benjamin, who is from Wylie, Texas.
Four star-receiver Camron Buckley, who is from Cedar Hill, Texas, recently trimmed his list of schools to seven, including Iowa.
Iowa is also considered perhaps the favorite to land 2017 Texas three-star quarterback Kamron Fields.