With 11 known verbal commitments in the 2022 recruiting class, Iowa has built a solid foundation for the cycle. The Hawkeyes have been looking around this fall for more building blocks.

They found one in Jackson (MI) High defensive back Olando Trader. Assistant coach Phil Parker scouted one of his games earlier this month and invited him to campus for a visit.

Trader (6-1, 185) took him up on it this weekend when Iowa played host to Minnesota. The Hawkeyes extended to him a scholarship offer during the stop.

“Everything I saw was pretty nice,” Trader told HF. “The main thing that stood out to me, though, was the energy in the stadium when I was there. It was insane. It was live.

He enjoyed meeting more members of the coaching staff. He continued building his relationship with Parker, who has been calling him a few times a week.

“I feel like there’s a connection is there. I’ve heard he’s a good coach and he’s sent many DBs to the league. He knows what he’s doing and he’s a hard coach. I like that, too,” Trader said.

He focused on the Iowa defensive backs during the game to see how he might fit in.

“Minnesota really couldn’t do anything against the secondary. That’s a live secondary. They have good speed and size. They don’t miss their tackles and they’re disciplined. That comes from the hard coaching of coach Parker,” Trader said.

“I feel like I could play corner or a hybrid safety there.”

Trader connected with Dylan Senda and Jamison Patton, fellow ’23 recruits with Iowa offers. He didn’t meet with the current players but planned on doing that when he return to Iowa for visit on Dec. 10. He wanted to learn about academics then as well.

“I plan on becoming a physical therapist,” he said.

Trader remains verbally committed to Central Michigan, where he pledged in June. He reports recent scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, where he officially visited last month, and Nebraska. He’s hearing from Michigan and Michigan State.

“I’m looking for a place where I can succeed on the field and in the classroom,” he said.

Trader said it’s took early to tell if he’ll sign during the early period in December or wait until the late period in February.

“I just want to make the best decision for me, and I don’t know how long that will take,” he said.