By Tyler Devine

IOWA CITY, Iowa – When 2022 linebacker Jayden Montgomery was offered a scholarship offer by the Iowa football team during a recent visit, the 2022 linebacker wasted little time verbally committing t0 the program he grew up idolizing.

Montgomery’s father, Jerry Montgomery, played at Iowa was a three-year starter at Iowa and is now the defensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers.

“It was awesome,” Jayden Montgomery said. “Iowa is my dream school. I grew up a Hawkeye, obviously both my parents went to Iowa. I’ve got pictures of me in the basement hanging on the fence at Kinnick when I was five years old, two years old. That’s a place I knew I always wanted to be. When they offered me, I knew automatically this is the place for me. It’s been a dream just to be able to take a visit there.”

Jayden Montgomery’s visit to Iowa was made extra special considering that his father’s former teammate Kevin Kasper was there with his son Kyler Kasper, who is a four-star receiver in the 2023 class.

Kevin Kasper was a receiver at Iowa and was selected in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

Jayden Montgomery, a Suamaco, Wis., said he will now try to convince his longtime friend to join him at Iowa.

“Me and Kyler have been friends for a long time,” Jayden Montgomery said. “When I heard we were going to be on a visit together I was ecstatic. We had a ton of fun up there being together. My dad loved it as well. We haven’t seen them in a couple years, so it was really cool not just being able to see them, but being able to see them on an Iowa visit. Potentially having the chance to play with him is something special. I know a lot of guys can’t say the same about where they’re going to go to college.”

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Jayden Montgomery chose Iowa over scholarship offers from North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and others.

Iowa currently has four-star defensive lineman Aaron Graves, three-star defensive lineman Caden Crawford and three-star offensive lineman Jack Dotzler committed to its 2022 recruiting class.

Dotzler also is a Wisconsin native, while Graves and Crawford are from Iowa and Kansas, respectively.