Iowa’s 2017 recruiting class at a glance
By Tyler Devine
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The six high school defensive back who signed letters of intent with Iowa on Wednesday have some big shoes to fill.
Former consensus All-American Desmond King and three-year starting cornerback Greg Mabin both have graduated and used up their eligiblity this past season..
Anthony Gair, who stepped in admirably after a late-season injury to Miles Taylor at safety, also has graduated.
Florida defensive back Josh Turner was one of 21 players who signed with Iowa on Wednesday. He is excited about the opportunity to contribute immediately.
“I’m just looking at the whole situation as a great opportunity with Desmond and Greg leaving,” Turner said Wednesday morning. “There’s of course going to be a lot of competition but I’m just worried about getting better myself and competing and contributing to the team as much as I can.”
Defensive back was a priority for Iowa in this class, but not just because of losing King, who won the Jim Thorpe Award as a junior in 2015.
Iowa also has been rocked by attrition in recent years at defensive back. Solomon Warfield, a native of Cleveland, Ohio and Malik Rucker, a native of New Hope, Minn., both were part of the 2013 class with King, but left the program before becoming contributors.
Detroit native Jalen Embry and Lorain, Ohio native Lance Billings also left the program in 2014 and 2016, respectively, after being recruited as defensive backs.
Iowa also did not sign a defensive back in its 2015 recruiting class.
So it was time to restock in the 2017 class.
The other defensive backs to sign with Iowa's 2017 class are Trey Creamer from Cartersville, Ga., Matt Hankins, a native of Flower Mound, Texas, Camron Harrell from Bradley, Ill., Djimon Colbert from Shawnee Mission, Kan., and Geno Stone from New Castle, Pa.
Iowa's 2017 recruiting class:
Name: Kyshaun Bryan
Height-weight-position: 5-10, 185, running back
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Duke, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Louisiana State, Miami (FL), Michigan, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Central Florida, Virginia Tech and West Virginia
Name: Djimon Colbert
Height-weight-position: 6-1, 186, safety
Hometown: Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas and Nebraska
Name: Jacob Coons
Height-weight-position: 6-4, 225, tight end
Hometown: Solon, Iowa
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa and Iowa State
Name: Max Cooper
Height-weight-position: 6-0, 175, receiver
Hometown: Waukesha, Wisc.
Star rating: Two
Notable offers: Iowa, Air Force, Central Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota
Name: Trey Creamer
Height-weight-position: 6-0, 175, cornerback
Hometown: Cartersville, Ga.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (Ohio), Michigan State, Middle Tennessee State, Minnesota, Rutgers, Tulane, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky and West Virginia
Name: Levi Duwa
Height-weight-position: 6-2, 225, defensive end
Hometown: Wellman, Iowa
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Eastern Michigan and Minnesota
Name: A.J. Epenesa
Height-weight-position: 6-5, 255, defensive end
Hometown: Edwardsville, Ill.
Star rating: Five
Notable offers: Iowa, Alabama, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Purdue, Tennessee, UCLA, Southern California, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington State and Wisconsin.
Name: Ryan Gersonde
Height-weight-position: 6-4, 184, punter
Hometown: Milwauke, Wisc.
Star rating: Five (by Kohl’s Kicking)
Notable offers: Iowa and Wyoming
Name: Matt Hankins
Height-weight-position: 6-1, 160, cornerback
Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Boston College, Bowling Green, Colorado, Colorado State, Connecticut, Duke, Fresno State, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Texas, Southern Methodist, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, Toledo, Tulane and Utah State
Name: Camron Harrell
Height-weight-position: 5-10, 181, cornerback
Hometown: Bradley, Ill.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa
Name: Mark Kallenberger
Height-weight-position: 6-6, 250, offensive tackle
Hometown: Bettendorf, Iowa
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Colorado State, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska and Western Michigan
Name: Ivory Kelly-Martin
Height-weight-position: 5-11, 195, running back
Hometown: Oswego, Ill.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Arizona, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Illinois, Miami (Ohio), New Mexico, Northern Illinois, Syracuse, Toledo, Vanderbilt, Western Michigan and Wisconsin
Name: Coy Kirkpatrick
Height-weight-position: 6-5, 265, defensive end
Hometown: Madrid, Iowa
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa and Iowa State
Name: Peyton Mansell
Height-weight-position: 6-2, 205, quarterback
Hometown: Belton, Texas
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Florida Atlantic, New Mexico, North Dakota State, North Texas, San Diego State and Southern Mississippi
Name: Henry Marchese
Height-weight-position: 6-3, 190, receiver
Hometown: Lincolnshire, Ill.
Star rating: Two
Notable offers: Iowa, Army, Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio)
Name: Daviyon Nixon
Height-weight-position: 6-4, 285, defensive end
Hometown: Kenosha, Wisc.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Buffalo, New Mexico, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Purdue and Western Michigan
Name: Brandon Smith
Height-weight-position: 6-3, 198, receiver
Hometown: Lake Cormorant, Miss.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Colorado State, Louisiana-Monroe, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Toledo and Vanderbilt
Name: Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Height-weight-position: 6-2, 175, receiver
Hometown: Newark, N.J.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Boston College, Minnesota and Rutgers
Name: Geno Stone
Height-weight-position: 6-0, 188, cornerback
Hometown: New Castle, Pa.
Star rating: Two
Notable offers: Iowa, Army, Ball State, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Navy
Name: Josh Turner
Height-weight-position: 6-0, 180, cornerback
Hometown: Delray Beach, Fla.
Star rating: Three
Notable offers: Iowa, Air Force, Army, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Navy, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Purdue, Southern Mississippi, South Florida, Utah State, Wake Forest, Western Michigan and Wisconsin
Name: Nate Wieland
Height-weight-position: 6-2, 220, athlete
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Star rating: Two
Notable offers: Iowa, Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois
Name: Tristan Wirfs
Height-weight-position: 6-5, 308, offensive tackle
Hometown: Mount Vernon, Iowa
Star rating: Four
Notable offers: Iowa and Iowa State
Compiled by Tyler Devine