IOWA CITY, Iowa – If history is any indication, Iowa Football fans should get to know the group of walk-ons the program landed in the 2022 Class. There’s a good chance they’ll be helping your favorite team win games.

Former non-scholarship athletes Caleb Shudak, Jack Koerner, Kyler Schott, Nick DeJong, Monte Pottebaum and Charlie Jones all started for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game earlier this month. Original walk-ons Joe Evans, Matt Fagan, Turner Pallissard, Aaron Blom, Kyler Fisher, Quinn Schulte, Luke Elkin and Austin Spiewak appeared on the most recent two-deep.

Iowa added pledges from nine walk-ons so far in the current recruiting cycle. Six of them were projected to play defense in college.

Here’s the closer look at this year’s group:

Carter Erickson

High School: Indianola (IA) High

Position: Defensive Back

Height, Weight: 6-0, 185

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: A three-way standout for Indianola, Erickson totaled 51 tackles (40 solo, 14.0 for loss), four sacks and four interceptions on defense. Offensively, he caught 45 passes, for 714 yards and six scores. He averaged 32.4 yards on seven kick returns and took one to the house.

Why Iowa: “I chose Iowa because of the feeling I had when I was at the games visiting, and watching the team fight against Nebraska and make the comeback made the decision for me. They also develop everyone of their athletes into a great player and human, and I know I’ll have the support of the whole staff. I’ll also be given a fair shot to go earn a spot because I’ve talked with players and coaches there. They all say the same thing that it doesn’t matter who you are. If you’re a good player and show that, you’ll get on the field. Also being able to learn from a great defensive backs coach in coach (Phil) Parker is an amazing opportunity I’ll have as well.”

Graham Friedrichsen

High School: Urbandale (IA) High

Position: Wide Receiver

Height, Weight: 6-2, 185

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Friedrichsen was one of the state’s most productive receivers in 2021. He recorded 39 receptions for 876 yards and 10 touchdowns. He returned nine kicks for 155 yards. He also had a preferred walk-on opportunity from Iowa State.

Why Iowa: “I chose Iowa because I grew up a fan of the Hawkeyes. I know they are known for developing their athletes regardless of their stars or rankings. I just felt like Iowa was my home, and I feel like family already.”

Luke Gaffney

High School: Marion (IA) Linn-Mar

Position: Defensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-2, 250

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: As a senior, Gaffney racked up 66 tackles (58 solo, 17.0 for loss) and recovered a fumble. He reported a scholarship offer from Indiana State and a preferred walk-on opportunity from Iowa State.

Why Iowa: “Once I received the opportunity to play for Iowa, I knew it was something that was going to be extremely hard to turn down. When I was a kid growing up, I always wanted to be a Hawkeye and for me to pass up that dream would have been hard for me to do. I knew Iowa’s culture, in general, and for walk-ons, especially, was tremendous, so when making this decision I felt comfortable knowing what I was getting myself into. Coach (Kelvin) Bell and the rest of the staff have also been amazing in the entire recruiting process and have held open arms since Day One.”

Will Hubert

High School: Papillion (NE) Papillion-La Vista High

Position: Defensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-2, 245

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Will Hubert produces. He led Nebraska high schoolers in sacks as a junior with 19.0 to go with 84 total tackles, according to Max Preps. He followed that up with a 74-tackle, 12.5-sack senior campaign. Hubert reported scholarship offers from Buffalo and North Texas, as well as opportunities from Columbia, Harvard, Penn and Yale of the Ivy League.

Why Iowa: “I picked Iowa because of their coaches, player development and success with walk-ons. They are consistently a dominant team. That is something I want to be a part of.”

Kael Kolarik

High School: Indianola (IA) High

Position: Defensive Back

Height, Weight: 6-0, 205

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Kolarik’s senior season saw him record 50 tackles (38 solo, 4.5 for loss). He intercepted three passes. On offense, he hauled in 20 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown. South Dakota offered Kolarik a scholarship.

Why Iowa: “I chose Iowa for its strong walk-on tradition, its success with player development and the great culture there.”

Andrew Kraus

High School: Barrington (IL) High

Position: Defensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-5, 225

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: The athletic Kraus also stars for his school’s lacrosse team. As a senior, Kraus totaled 47 tackles (31 solo, 6.0 for loss) and 4.0 sacks in 10 games. In addition to Iowa, he visited Illinois, Minnesota and Miami (OH) this season.

Drew Stevens

High School: North Augusta (SC) High

Position: Place Kicker

Height, Weight: 6-0, 175

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Stevens scored 63 Points as a senior with nine made field goals (long of 51 yards) and making all 36 extra points. He recorded 49 touchbacks. His other walk-on opportunities included Maryland, N.C. State and South Carolina. His mother is from the Spirit Lake/Okoboji area of Iowa and his dad grew up in the Chicago suburbs. They both attended Iowa State.

Why Iowa: “I chose Iowa for a lot of reasons. Mostly, I loved coach (Levar) Woods. When I camped at Iowa in June, we hit it off. My kicking coach, Dan Orner, trained (former Iowa kicker) Keith Duncan, so the connection was there, too. But really I chose Iowa because it checked my boxes. I turned down a lot of full rides to come to Iowa, but I was keeping my word to coach Woods and I want the chance to earn it at Iowa. I’m coming in January so I’m excited to get to work. Guaranteed I need the weight room more than anyone else coming in. But I can kick it long and straight, so I doubt many care what I bench as long as my kicks are good.”

Kyson Van Vugt

High School: Hull (IA) Western Christian

Position: Tight End

Height, Weight: 6-7, 230

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Van Vugt delivered 30 receptions for 409 yards with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion as a senior this fall. On defense he contributed 23.5 tackles (23 solo, 6.0 for loss) and three sacks. He recovered two fumbles, returning one of them for a score. He reported scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and South Dakota.

Why Iowa: “I chose Iowa because I know that they will get the best out of me athletically while I’m there and also because of the coaching stability.”

Dominic Wiseman

High School: Davenport (IA) North High

Position: Defensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-0, 265

Watch: Video Highlights

Skinny: Wiseman spent a lot of time in the opponents’ backfields this season, racking up 30.5 tackles for loss among his 65 total tackles (57 solo). He chipped in 2.5 sacks as well. Eastern Illinois, Indiana State and South Dakota reportedly offered scholarships to the three-year starter.

Why Iowa: “I wanted to stay close to home because the youth in the community looks up to me. Granted, I took a preferred walk-on over a full ride, but I want to show hard work can get you anywhere. If I can be able to get on TV and make plays, so many more will be inspired. Iowa’s culture can help me do that. Also I wanted to make it easy for family and friends to come support.”