IOWA CITY — High school recruiting evaluations can be a slippery slope.
Iowa football, which is known for finding and developing diamonds in the rough, proves that.
Riley Moss was a two-star prospect in high school. So was Josey Jewell. Both turned out more than fine.
So it’s important to take those evaluations with a grain of salt.
“We don’t recruit off of rankings and stars and all that,” Iowa football GM/Chief of Staff Tyler Barnes said. “…I don’t get any type of raise or neither does our recruiting staff for that. But you’ve got to dig into who the kid is, and at some point, you’re going to figure out if their values match ours.”
That said, it’s acceptable to take a step back and applaud what Iowa has had on the recruiting trail this cycle.
There is still time for it to fluctuate, but Iowa football’s 2026 high school recruiting class is among the program’s highest-ranked nationally over the last two decades. At the time of publication, the Hawkeyes have the 27th-best recruiting class nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.
If that holds, the 2021 and 2026 classes would be the only times Iowa has been in the 20s nationally by the 247Sports Composite in the last 15 years. The 2021 class, which ranked 24th, featured Connor Colby, Cooper DeJean, Beau Stephens, Gennings Dunker, and Max Llewellyn.
Let’s dissect some highlights of the Hawkeyes’ 2026 class.
Promising pieces for the passing game
Mark Gronowski finally gave the Hawkeyes quality quarterback play after long-standing woes at the position. But the passing game is still very much a work in progress.
This class delivers some hope for the future.
That begins with four-star quarterback Tradon Bessinger, who was originally committed to Boise State and is the caliber of quarterback the Hawkeyes don’t usually land. He is the highest-ranked player in Iowa’s 2026 recruiting class and the 11th-best quarterback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.
“We watched six to eight guys we kind of honed in on that we really presented to (offensive coordinator Tim Lester),” Barnes said of recruiting a quarterback in the 2026 class. “I probably had Tradon as my top guy. He’s a bigger kid, 6’4″, 210 right now, really live arm, really whippy arm, can really throw it. His stats, if you go back to the last three years, are pretty gaudy. It’s kind of incredible.”
Four-star tight end Luke Brewer accompanies Bessinger. Iowa beat out a laundry list of offers for the Norwalk product, who reclassified from 2027 to 2026.
Beyond that duo, Iowa is bringing in three 3-star receivers. The most recent to verbally commit, Xavier Stinson, picked up offers from the likes of Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Kentucky and Illinois after decommitting from UCLA, but chose the Hawkeyes.
Big men lead the way
In 2024 and 2025, Iowa’s offensive line has returned to the program standard. The 2026 class has what could be foundational pieces for the future of that room.
Iowa has five offensive linemen signed in the class, three of whom are rated as 4-star prospects. According to the 247Sports Composite, three of the top seven highest-ranked signees in Iowa’s class are offensive linemen — Waterloo West’s Carson Nielsen (3rd), Gene Riordan (6th) and Hudson Parliament (7th).
We’ll see how their careers at Iowa turn out, but on paper, offensive line coach George Barnett hit it out of the park on the recruiting trail.
“Coach Barnett is unbelievable in the process,” Barnes said. “He is very targeted in his approach. He knows exactly who he wants. It’s taken a few years, obviously, for him to get that room where he wants it to be, and the last two years it’s been pretty dang good now. George knows what he wants, and he’s going to go after it. There’s no fluff and no frills with George. It’s very straightforward and very honest.”
Keeping in-state talent home
Iowa did well to recruit within the state borders. According to the 247Sports Composite, five of the top eight prospects in the state’s 2026 class signed with the Hawkeyes, including the top three.
Manson and Whitters, both products of Iowa City West High School, come right from the Hawkeyes’ backyard.
Speaking of Julian Manson…
Assistant head football coach Seth Wallace has done a terrific job with Iowa’s linebackers and will get a trio with real potential in this class.
Two of those come from within the state. Julian Manson is the son of Jason Manson, a former Iowa football player and a current member of the staff. Kasen Thomas is from Bishop Heelan. Both are rated as four-star prospects.
The Hawkeyes also signed 3-star linebacker Billy Weivoda from Milton High School in Georgia.
“You have (Julian), who is a freak — he’s a freak show,” Barnes said. “He’s a big kid who’s had a great last two years at West High, but kind of quiet demeanor, kind of quiet in nature. Then you have Kasen, who has got way more personality than you think and probably looks like your prototype Big Ten linebacker. And then you’ve got Billy, who might be the second-best interview behind Darion Jones… He (Weivoda) looks like what we’ve brought in here in the past. The Christian Kirkseys, the guys that, they’re going to need a year to develop, but you love the length. You love the way he plays, flies around, but he’s going to need the weight room a little bit.”
Speaking of Darion Jones…
Don’t forget about what Phil Parker can do with DBs.
Four-star Darion Jones is Iowa’s highest-rated defensive back since Xavier Nwankpa.
The Hawkeyes recorded another win over Nebraska by landing Jones. The Omaha North High School product is the 2nd-ranked prospect in the state of Nebraska’s 2026 class. Jones’ brother, Donovan, plays for the Huskers. But Jones chose Iowa over Nebraska and others.
“Thank God he’s a die-hard Hawkeye fan because I’m not sure we’re going to be able to sign Darion if he isn’t,” Barnes said, “because you can see his senior film, this kid is pretty talented. He can run. He’s long. He’s a really smart kid. Again, the passion and energy he has is unmatched with anybody in this class. There’s no doubt about it.”
Players to sign with Iowa football during early signing period
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Highlights from Iowa football’s 2026 early signing recruiting class
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
