Joe Vinyard’s recruitment has a steady pace to it. He already reports scholarship offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State, and FBS programs are monitoring his progress. That group includes the Iowa.

The Hawkeyes played host to the Waukee (IA) Northwest tight end during their thrilling win against Penn State on Oct. 18. Sold out Kinnick Stadium was rocking when the home team mounted a comeback.

“The thing I loved the most about the visit was definitely the atmosphere,” he said. “The fans were absolutely electric, and I think that was a huge reason why they won the game. Seeing how loud the fans got was awesome to me.”

Vinyard (6-5, 230) camped with the Hawkeyes this past summer. They’ve continued building a relationship, which took a step forward during the visit.

“I talked with coach (Abdul) Hodge and coach (Jay) Niemann. They both said that if I continue to work hard and improve, that I could definitely be someone who fits in their program. They said that they want to get me back up in the spring and come to camp in the summer. They will continue to stay in touch with me throughout the year,” he said.

Iowa is an attractive possibility for Vinyard and his future.

“I was very impressed with the Hawkeye program. I think the facilities were outstanding, and the coaches were great to talk with. I really loved all the tradition and history that comes with Iowa Football,” he said.

“As a tight end, it would be super cool to play there, especially after all the great tight ends they have had in recent years.”

On a Wolves’ offense with a lot of talented mouths to feed, Vinyard caught 33 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns during the nine-week regular season. Northwest has posted an 8-1 record heading into Friday’s playoffs.

“I believe I’ve shown the potential to excel at all areas of being a tight end, whether it’s running routes, catching passes, or blocking. That being said, I still think I have a ways to go and can improve in every single area of my game,” he said.

“In the past year, I have put on 30 pound and grown an inch and a half. I hope to continue to do that this offseason, along with getting stronger and faster.”

In addition to Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State and Wyoming have played host to Vinyard for game-day visits this fall. He planned on adding South Dakota to that list.

“It’s been great to see what every school has to offer, and how they vary from each other. I’m super excited to stay in touch and see what the future holds for me. So far, it’s been a ton of fun, but my main focus is still my high school team,” he said.