Iowa football’s remaining wish list for 2017 recruiting class
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Who’s next?
That was the question Iowa fans started asking once the excitement from Chevin Calloway’s much-anticipated verbal commitment to the Hawkeyes started to fade last Monday.
Calloway, a four-star defensive back from Dallas, Texas, was the 15th player to commit to Iowa’s 2017 recruiting class.
The class is expected to top off with about 20 recruits, leaving roughly five spots to fill.
Here are six recruits who could fill those spots in no particular order besides the top spot, which goes to the local kid.
Oliver Martin, WR, 6-1, 190, Iowa City, Ia. – Barely a month ago, he was mostly unknown on the power five recruiting circuit despite having started on the West High varsity team since he was a freshman. Martin shined at The Opening in May in Chicago, earning the most valuable player award for receivers.
That led to a wave of scholarship offers in about a week’s time, a list that now includes Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota, Indiana, Brigham Young, Iowa, Oregon and Michigan.
Martin is mentioned first on the list for several reasons, not the least of which is his hometown roots. It never looks good losing a kid with a scholarship offer who barely lives two miles from your campus, as is the case with Martin and the University of Iowa.
Martin’s talent is another reason he tops the list. He has made a significant contribution at receiver since he was a freshman, which is rare at any level in high school, but especially in Class 4A in Iowa.
Martin also has better-than-average size and plays a position of need if we’re to believe that Iowa would like to have at least three receivers in its 2017 class to compensate for heavy graduation losses that have occurred or that will occur at that position. Iowa currently has two receivers committed to the 2017 class.
Damion Daniels, DT, 6-2, 310, Dallas, Texas – He would be a nice response to fellow defensive tackle Juan Harris having de-committed from Iowa for a third time. Daniels recently narrowed his list to 12 schools, which included Iowa.
The Hawkeyes are thought to have an advantage with Daniels because he plays with Calloway at Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas and because they’re close friends.
In fact, Daniels held the camera as Calloway announced his verbal commitment to Iowa on Periscope.
The fact that Iowa already has five players from Texas committed to its 2017 class also should appeal to Daniels.
Tyree Johnson, DE, 6-4, 215, Washington D.C. – He recently trimmed his list to 12 schools that included Iowa. He comes from an area in which the Iowa coaches have emphasized more in recruiting lately. He also plays a position that sometimes is hard to fill with quality talent.
Russ Yeast, DB, 5-10, 172, Greenwood, Ind. – Iowa hopes to make Kentucky’s recent loss its gain by landing Yeast, who projects as a cornerback in college.
Yeast recently de-committed from Kentucky and then released a new list of top six schools that included the Hawkeyes.
Iowa needs to restock at cornerback with starters Desmond King and Greg Mabin both being seniors this coming season.
Yeast has nearly 20 scholarship offers from schools that include Auburn, Louisville, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Maryland, Mississippi and Northwestern among others.
So when you combine his long list of offers with the position he plays, Yeast belongs on the list.
Andrew Van Ginkel, DE, 6-4, 240, Iowa Western Community College – Every team needs a rugged, athletic and mature defensive end.
That’s why Van Ginkel has at least a dozen scholarship offers from schools that include Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, California, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Colorado and Iowa State.
His film in junior college shows an aggressive defender who excels at shedding blocks and making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also moves well laterally and plays with a motor that never stops.
Van Ginkel grew up in northwest Iowa, so he has a connection that often impacts a recruit’s decision.
Josiah Scott, DB, 5-10, 165, DB, Fairfield, Ohio – Scott told all-hawkeyes on Tuesday that he’s eyeing a decision by the end of the month and that Iowa is in his top four, along with Michigan State, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.