Three Iowa commits from Texas forming a special bond
IOWA CITY, Iowa – There is an old adage that says "it’s a small world."
Iowa receiver commits Beau Corrales and Gavin Holmes could attest to that.
Corrales and Holmes are both Texas natives, but they didn’t meet in their home state. In fact, they met far from home and have stayed in touch ever since.
"I met Gavin at a U.S.A. football camp, I think, in eighth grade, maybe," Corrales said. "I met him at a U.S.A. camp in Canton, Ohio and we ended up rooming together and hanging out throughout the camp together and we found out we were both from Texas.
"He ended up coming down later that summer to my house and we hung out a little bit. We just kind of stayed connected through that."
They now stay connected as friends, but also as members of Iowa’s 2017 recruiting class. Corrales and Holmes are among six Texas natives who are committed to Iowa’s 2017 class.
As friends and competitors who play the same position, comparing individual statistics was bound to happen.
Corrales and Holmes both have compiled impressive statistics so far this season. Holmes has 1,083 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 55 catches in seven games, while Corrales has 933 yards and 12 touchdowns on 74 catches in eight games.
"It’s definitely fun to try and compete to see who has the better stats," Holmes said. "We’ll joke about it and stuff like that, but only friendly competition."
Corrales likes the opportunity to have bragging rights over his future teammate, but neither he nor Holmes take it too serious. They’re mostly just happy for each other’s success.
"The only time I can recall that we’ve ever joked about it, I have one game on him but I think he passed me up especially after this last game," Corrales said. "We were in a group text with all the Texas commits, so we were just talking about all of our stats from the past couple weeks.
"I have one game on him but I think he passed me up especially after this last game. I think I had more yards than him at the time and I just remember he was saying he was coming for me, but I think that’s the only time we’ve ever joked about it."
Though it’s just friendly competition, Corrales and Holmes both use each other’s success as motivation.
"Obviously, even jokingly, you want to be able to say that you had the best season especially between everybody going to Iowa," Corrales said. "I respect his game a lot as a receiver and I’m sure he respects my game a lot as a receiver. Also being friends before all this makes it cool and neat and I know that it’s going to pay off at Iowa and we’re both going to be able to push each other to do the best that we can.
"Even though it’s a friendly competition, it’s a competition to be the best that you can.”
Iowa quarterback commit and fellow Texas native Peyton Mansell formed a bond with Corrales during a recruiting visit to Tulsa before either had any scholarship offers.
Soon after the Tulsa visit, Mansell and Corrales started working out together. Mansell hopes that getting a feel for his future college teammate and roommate will pay dividends at Iowa.
"Beau and I met a while ago at the Tulsa junior day," Mansell said. "Then we just met up and started working out together. Beau and I are really close friends and we will be rooming together.
"It’s awesome to have that connection. It’s going to help really early."
Corrales and Holmes bring different skill sets and different frames to the field.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Corrales has the size of a tight end and the finesse of a receiver, while the 5-11, 180-pound Holmes is a terror in space.
"Gavin is really quick and runs really clean routes," Mansell said. "Beau’s size and ability to break tackles makes him a good target. Both have really soft hands and good football I.Q.’s."
Corrales and Holmes also share another thing in common in that they both were committed to other schools before switching to Iowa. Corrales was previously committed to Texas State, while Holmes was committed to Duke.