IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football coaches had more to celebrate than just Thanksgiving on Thursday after receiving a verbal commitment from 3-star recevier Dayton Howard.

Howard, who is from Kansas City, Missouri, is the 20th player to commit to Iowa’s 2023 recruiting class and the second wide receiver, joining Florida native Jarriett Buie, who committed earlier this month.

Howard didn’t have any scholarship offers entering his senior season, but after catching 45 passes for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, he caught the attention of the Iowa coaches and that ultimately led to him being offered a scholarship.

Howard has an offical visit set with Iowa for the weekend of Dec. 9th, but he decided to commit before taking the visit. He also visted Iowa on an unofficial capacity in early November.

“When I first visited Iowa, it honestly felt like home,” Howard said to Allen Trieu from 247Sports. “When it comes to the fan base, facilities, coaching staff, and the city as a whole, it;s perfect for me.

“I was under the radar all season and they were the first ones to pull the trigger and offer.”

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Howard is ranked as the No. 21 senior in the state of Missouri by 247Sports and as a 3-star prospect by Rivals.

Howard plays a position where Iowa has struggled to sustain depth due to injuries and attrition.

So, to have landed two receivers in less than two weeks is a significant development from a recruiting standpoint.

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