By Alex Pruismann

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Cole Marsh had full-ride opportunies at several Division II schools, as well as a full-ride offer to play football for Northern Iowa.

But the 6-foot-6, 215-pound multi-sport star from Waverly Shell Rock chose to be a preferred walk on for the Iowa football team instead.

“I chose Iowa because I believe that’s where I can develop the best as a player and a person,” Marsh said to Hawk Fanatic.

Marsh plays quarterback for his high school team, but Iowa is recruiting him mostly as a tight end, and that’s a position in which Iowa is known for developing star players, including some former walk-on such as Dallas Clark, who won the John Mackey Award in 2002.

Iowa has multiple tight ends that are currently playing in the National Football League, including stars George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson.

And while they both started their Hawkeye career on scholarship, Marsh is determined to show that he can play at this level and earn a scholarship down the road.

“To be part of a team like the Iowa Hawkeyes whether on scholarship or not is an amazing opportunity and I’m going to make the best of it,” Marsh said.

Iowa assistant coach Jay Niemann was Marsh’s primary recruiter and they have built a very good relationship.

“The University of Iowa is a great place to be athlete and a student, the coaching staff is amazing and has been great throughout the recruitment process,” Marsh said.

As a junior in football, Marsh helped Waverly Shell Rock finish 10-1 and advance to the quarterfinals in Class 4A. He finished the season with 954 passing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns.

He also averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this past season in basketbal as Waverly-Shell Rock finished as the state runner-up in Class 3A.

Marsh is the fourth preferred walk to join Iowa’s 2024 class, along with Rock Valley linebacker Graham Eben, Grundy Center defensive lineman Trent Cakerice and Carroll Kuemper Catholic tight end D.J Vonnahme