Florida’s Ryan Daly visited Iowa in June and came away impressed. So impressed that he returned to campus last weekend to watch the Hawkeyes take on Iowa State.

“I love Iowa,” Daly told HF. “I can see myself playing there. The atmosphere is unlike anyplace else I have visited. I love football, and the support for the team is unbelievable.”

Daly visited South Florida earlier this month. It couldn’t compare to last weekend.

“The game-day atmosphere was incredible. Walking up to the stadium with all the fans around gave me goosebumps. Walking down into the stadium to watch warms-ups was so awesome. I wanted to strap up and play,” he said.

“When the players came out of the tunnel to Back in Black and Enter Sandman was awesome. At the end of the first quarter, watching both teams turn and wave to the cancer patient kids was such a special experience. That is a phenomenal tradition. I was so glad to be a part of it.”

Daly (6-2, 260) attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. He plays both ways on the line. Iowa sees him on offense.

“I have had a chance to talk with coach Lavar Woods, Ladell Betts, George Barnett and recruiter Tyler Barnes. I also got to spend a lot of time with Dallas Clark learning about his experience at Iowa. We talked about Dallas Clark’s experience and what a special place Iowa is. He talked about what life is like at Iowa and how it’s a family, and how excited he was to be back and how incredible the student section was,” he said.

The Iowa staff didn’t share with Daly where he sits on its recruiting board. He shared with us how he feels about the Hawkeyes.

“Iowa is my top choice. I love it there,” he said.

Daly said he’s also visiting Florida, South Florida, Miami (Ohio), Penn State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, North Carolina and others this fall.