Iowa’s 2017 recruiting class ranked as high as No. 11
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The numbers 11, 17 and 21 all have significance with regard to the Iowa football team’s 2017 recruiting class.
Each number represents where Iowa’s class is currently ranked by three national recruiting services.
Iowa’s highest ranking comes from 247Sports, while Rivals and Scout have the Hawkeyes ranked 17th and 21st, respectively.
Iowa’s 2017 class currently consists of 10 high school seniors-to-be, including six from Iowa.
The class is rich in star power, thanks to verbal commitments from Illinois defensive end A.J. Epenesa and from Texas running back Eno Benjamin, both of whom are ranked as four-star recruits.
Epenesa is the son of former Iowa defensive lineman Eppy Epenesa.
It was thought that Iowa might have a strong 2017 recruiting class after the Hawkeyes set a school record last season with 12 victories. There wasn’t enough time for last season’s success to impact the 2016 recruiting class because most of the players in that class had committed to Iowa before the start of the 2015 season.
The Big Ten Conference is off to a good start in recruiting the 2017 class, considering Iowa is one of 10 Big Ten teams ranked in the top 27 nationally by Rivals.
"I really like Iowa’s class so far," veteran recruiting Tom Lemming said recently. "They’ve done a great job of recruiting in state and with recruiting linemen.
"They’re also having success in Texas. It would be huge if they could get that pipeline going."
Ohio State is ranked first by all three services, while Michigan is ranked sixth by Rivals, seventh by 247 and eighth by Scout.
A lot can happen between now and the national signing day in February 2017, but it’s likely that Ohio State and Michigan will stay ranked near the top of the recruiting rankings because they both usually do under any circumstance.
Iowa’s 2017 class is probably about half full with eight months until the national sighing day. The Hawkeyes have loaded up on defensive linemen, but still haven’t landed a receiver.
Iowa has offered scholarships to receivers from coast to coast in the 2017 class.
Texas native Camron Buckley recently announced on Twitter that Iowa was among his top seven schools. He is ranked as a four-start recruit.
New Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin has had a positive impact in recruiting with the Terrapins’s 2017 class currently ranked in the top 20 by all three services. Rivals has Maryland ranked the highest at No. 11.
247
1. Ohio State; 2. Oklahoma; 3. Miami (Fla.); 4. Louisiana State; 5. Alabama; 6. Georgia; 7. Michigan; 8. Clemson;
9. Notre Dame; 10. Mississippi State; 11. Iowa; 12. Northwestern; 13. North Carolina; 14. Maryland; 15. Florida State; 16. Kentucky; 17. Nebraska; 18. Oklahoma State; 19. Wisconsin; 20. Texas A&M; 21. Washington; 22. Texas; 23.
Penn State; 24. Western Michigan; 25. Duke.
Other notable rankings
28. Rutgers; 29. Michigan State; 34. Iowa State; 65. Illinois; 71. Indiana; 73. Minnesota; 103. Purdue.
Rivals
1. Ohio State; 2. Oklahoma; 3. Miami (Fla.); 4. Georgia; 5. Alabama; 6. Michigan; 7. Clemson; 8. Notre Dame; 9. Louisiana State; 10. Florida State; 11. Maryland; 12. Northwestern; 13. North Carolina; 14. Washington; 15. Nebraska; 16. Wisconsin; 17. Iowa; 18. Kentucky; 19. Arizona; 20. Mississippi State; 21. Rutgers; 22. Texas A&M; 23. Oklahoma State; 24. Auburn; 25. Texas.
Other notable rankings
26. Penn State, 27. Michigan State; 33. Iowa State; 54. Illinois; 60. Minnesota; 64. Indiana; 88 Purdue.
Scout
1. Ohio State; 2. Oklahoma; 3. Clemson; 4. Alabama; 5. Georgia; 6. Notre Dame; 7. Miami (Fla.); 8. Michigan; 9.
Mississippi State; 10. Louisiana State; 11. Florida State; 12. North Carolina; 13. Nebraska; 14. Northwestern; 15.
Auburn; 16. Washington; 17. Texas; 18. Maryland; 19. Kentucky; 20. Penn State; 21. Iowa; 22. Arizona; 23. Michigan State; 24. Tennessee; 25. Oklahoma State.
Other notable rankings
26. Wisconsin; 30. Rutgers; 35. Iowa State; 52. Illinois; 56. Minnesota; 65. Indiana; 97. Purdue, eight-way tie
Iowa’s 2017 recruiting class
Levi Duwa, DE, 6-2, 225, Wellman, Iowa
Eno Benjamin, RB, 5-9, 203, Wylie, Texas
Ivory Kelly-Martin, RB,5-11, 195, Oswego, Ill.
Mark Kallenberger, OL,6-6, 250, Bettendorf, Iowa
Djimon Colbert, DB, 6-1, 186, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
A.J. Epenesa, DE, 6-5, 255, Edwardsville, Ill.
Jacob Coons, TE, 6-4, 225, SOlon, Iowa
Tristan Wirfs, OL, 6-5, 280, Mount Vernon, Iowa
Juan Harris, DL, 6-3, 367, West Union, Iowa
Coy Kirkpatrick, DE, 6-5, 260, Madrid, Iowa