By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The chance to play for his father’s college alma mater and to follow in the footsteps of his two older brothers apparently was too good for Iose Epenesa to pass up.

The 2025 five-star defensive end from Edwardsville, Illinois announced his commitment to Iowa on Thursday afternoon.

Actually, his father, former Iowa defensive tackle Eppy Epenesa, announced the commitment on his X account.

“Today is a very Special Day for our family our youngest son Iose just Committed to Kirk Ferentz and Hawkeye Football. Let’s Go Hawk’s,” Eppy Epenesa posted on X.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Iose Epenesa picked Iowa over multiple scholarship offers from some of the top programs in the country. He took five official visits to Iowa, Missouri, Miami (Fla), Penn State and Utah before deciding.

Iose Epenesa will become the fourth member of his family to play for Iowa.

His father played defensive tackle under Hayden Fry in the 1990s, while his older brother, A.J. Epenesa, played defensive end for the Hawkeyes from 2017 to 2019 and now plays for the Buffalo Bills.

Iose Epenesa is also the younger brother of Eric Epenesa, who is currently a junior linebacker for the Hawkeyes.

Veteran recruiting analyst Tom Lemming ranks Iose Epenesa as a five-star recruit and says he is similar in talent and potential to A.J. Epenesa, who made first-team All-Big Ten as a Hawkeye as a junior in 2019.

“He’s the best player in Illinois and he’s got all the tools that his brother had,” Lemming said. “Big, tough, aggressive, super quick. He can bend and he’s got great instincts. The whole family does.”

Lemming believes that Iose Epenesa could play both defensive end or defensive tackle in college.

“Either way, wherever they need him the most,” Lemming said. “He’s a big-time guy. He’s got great feet, great hands.”

Iose Epenesa is the 14th player to commit to Iowa’s 2025 recruiting class.