By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Perhaps the biggest concern facing the Iowa football team for next season is at linebacker where three senior starters, including All-America candidate Josey Jewell, have to be replaced.

Iowa is hoping that junior-college linebacker Will Honas can help solve that problem.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Honas received a scholarship offer from Iowa in October. 

The offer piqued the interest of Honas so much that he plans to take an official visit to Iowa City on Dec. 8. The three-star recruit also wants to sign his letter of intent during the early signing period on Dec.20 so he can enroll in a school for the spring semester.

“I’m really interested in Iowa,” said Honas, who attends Butler Community College in Kansas. “I’m planning on taking a visit in December.”

Iowa currently has one linebacker committed to its 2018 recruiting class in Iowa City native Dillon Doyle, and another athlete in Essexville, Mich. native Ben VanSumeren, who is projected to play linebacker at Iowa.

Honas, a native of Wichita, Kan., is excited about the possibility of competing for a starting position right away.

“That’s really big for me because (I can come in and compete for a starting position right away),” Honas said.

Iowa’s tradition of producing quality linebackers under head coach Kirk Ferentz is what stands out the most to Honas.

Jewell on Monday was named the winner of the 2017 Jack Lambert Award, which is given to the top collegiate linebacker in the nation.

“The tradition of having good linebackers and the character of the program,” Honas said of what stands out about Iowa. “Coach Ferentz does a good job of building a culture and a hard-working environment.”

Iowa did not recruit Honas out of high school, which he thinks is due to the fact that he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during his senior year.

“I tore my anterior cruciate ligament my senior year and I didn’t have any film because of that,” Honas said. “And now they’ve had an opportunity to see what I can do.”

Honas’ production in junior college has led to offers from Arkansas, Bowling Green, California, Eastern Michigan, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Mississippi, Pittsburgh and Toledo.

Honas said he also plans to take official vists to Kansas State and Arkansas.