Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - EXPOSED: EA Sports SLAMS Iowa Football's Potential - Is it That BLEAK for the Hawkeyes?

Episode Date: July 14, 2025

EA Sports' College Football 26 ratings spark controversy for Iowa Hawkeyes. Are the virtual gridiron rankings accurate or way off base?Host Trent Condon dissects the game's player ratings, highlightin...g surprising assessments of quarterback Mark Gronowski and the receiving corps. The discussion shifts to defensive standouts, with safety Zach Lutmer's low rating raising eyebrows. Condon also breaks down Iowa basketball's latest recruit, Trey Thompson, and introduces new Hawkeye football walk-ons, including Will Han and Braden Jackson.Tune in for an in-depth analysis of how EA Sports views Iowa's roster and get the inside scoop on the Hawkeyes' newest additions across multiple sports.Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondonLISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyesSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at www.monarchmoney.com/lockedoncollege for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 EA Sports College Football 26 is out and it paints a pretty bleak picture for Iowa football. We'll tell you why coming up next. You are Locked On Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hey, welcome in, I'm Trent Condon and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes Podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you find podcasts.
Starting point is 00:00:35 You can also watch us on YouTube. While you're there, hit that subscribe button. Helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code LOCKDOWNCOLLEDGE for $20 off your first purchase. My name is Trent Condon. I've been covering the Hawkeyes for over 20 years on the radio here in the state of Iowa. You can hear me currently on the Iowa Sports Radio Network each weekday from noon to two, talking the world of sports
Starting point is 00:01:03 and plenty of Hawkeyes. You can hear me on our flagship 106.3 KXNO in Des Moines, along with stations in Sioux City, Iowa City, the Quad Cities, and Cedar Rapids each day from noon to two. We're going to talk about a new Iowa football walk on in a offensive line class.
Starting point is 00:01:20 It just continues to get better and better throughout these summer periods as we look to the future of Iowa football Trey Thompson the four-star power forward has committed to Iowa We talked about that a couple of weeks back now He is officially a Hawkeye as a sign on the dotted line We'll talk a little bit more about Trey and what the expectations are for him coming up this season
Starting point is 00:01:40 But we begin today with the new college football game that is out from EA Sports for your Xbox for your PS 5 Whatever that you're playing on I did hear this year that you're going to be able to play Even if you got an Xbox your buddies got a PS 5 you can play against each other something that wasn't the case A year ago here at the radio station on the Iowa Sports Radio Network. We had a league a year ago We're gonna be doing that again and the old man right here, I'm the old guy. I'm the one trying to keep up with those youngsters and had a good season last year. And we'll be doing that again. I'll give you guys some details if you want to get involved with that coming up here. But we begin with a look at the Iowa Hawkeyes for this year. And this is just one opinion of many that are out there. Doesn't matter if you're picking up the
Starting point is 00:02:21 newest magazine, the Phil Steel, the Athlon. Doesn't matter if you're reading on websites, what you're seeing, or you're just listening like people like me and others out there and radio on podcasts These are just opinions and this is one set of opinions of what they believe the Iowa Hawkeyes are going to look like this Year and I think it picks a picture and an expectation even if you're not a gamer You're not somebody who plays video games may be aged out of it. Maybe never a part of it Whatever it is. This is something I think though that all of us is going to give us a little look and a glimpse of what Outside opinions are for Iowa football. So we're gonna run through the different players We're gonna run through the rankings of what they believe this Iowa football team is going to look like in
Starting point is 00:03:01 2026 so just to if you never played before you don't remember exactly the rank lines very basic It's a 99. That's the top level 99 is the best that you can be in the game We're gonna talk a little bit about some of the players Dig a little bit deeper into that not gonna get into gameplay not gonna get into what you should be doing with your playbook All those different things what we'll leave that for you If you're a gamer, we're gonna keep this more towards football and just gear around that to allow everybody to enjoy what we're talking about here today.
Starting point is 00:03:30 So we start, as we always do, at the quarterback position at the top. And I think you know my expectations and my anticipation of what we're gonna see for Mark Gronowski this year, how good of a quarterback that he's gonna be this season. And we talked a few weeks back, every day or you'll know this. We talked a little bit about some of the rankings that are out there.
Starting point is 00:03:49 I believe off the top of my head, what was Mark Grunowski, maybe 48th in the country out of the power four level. I think he's going to be a whole lot better than that. But coming from the FCS ranks, the questions are there and he's ranked in 81 overall at the quarterback position. That's not very good. Throw power, 88, 85 in accuracy. I think you're going to see a lot better type of quarterback than an 81.
Starting point is 00:04:10 I mean, this is kind of bottom of the barrel, if you will, in the big 10 in terms of overall ranking for him. Hank Brown's listed as a backup. He's a 72. Jeremy Heklinski is a 69. He is the third quarterback that is in the game so there is no stratton he is not in the game it is those three guys there and starts things off pretty bleak trying to throw the football with this i will football team we go to running back though if you remember a year ago kaleb johnson was not one of the top running backs in the game and he became one of the top players obviously in the country a season ago kamari bolton listed as a starter as we anticipate he is going to be. He is an 85 overall,
Starting point is 00:04:46 a very good numbers for him, also a 92 speed for Kamari Moulton. Jazzy M. Patterson is the backup, Jazz Patterson at an 80 overall. Terrell Washington Jr. a 78 as is Brevin Dahl. Also have a fullback listed with Hayden Large listed at that position with a 75. One thing I will note, the fastest wide are running back in this game is Brevin doll And he definitely has speed if you do anything about him at the high school level Not just what he did on the football field But also what he did on the track Brevin doll has speed to burn in in this game He definitely has that too So if you're playing around a little bit maybe with your roster
Starting point is 00:05:20 You might see Brevin doll out there a little bit more and certainly that would make me very happy in the real World not so much in the video game world Let's go next to the wide receiver position and as we talked about with Mark Grunowski Just an 81 rating for him the wide receiver group not very good We have said this wide receiver group as as deep as it's been in a very long time Do you have your typical number one? No, but you have a bunch of guys, I believe right now, that at minimum are going to be solid wide receivers at the Big 10 level.
Starting point is 00:05:52 The game doesn't quite see it the same way. And you can understand an outside opinion of what Iowa football, and certainly offensively, has been the last five years, why there are people that are pumping the brakes, and maybe a little bit of hype with this Iowa wide receiver group. Jacob guilt. He's the number one guy. He is a 79 overall. That's right. That's the best wide
Starting point is 00:06:11 receiver on the hawk. I Rossiter followed up by Kaden, Caden, we agent. He's a 78 Seth Anderson and Sam Phillips. They're tied for third. There are 75 overall Reese Vandersey down at a 73. Can't wrap my mind around that one. I think he's gonna to be a whole lot better than their anticipation this season. Dayton Howard a 68, Jared Bowie a 67, and there's KJ Parker a 66 and KJ Parker. I mean talk about stock rising for a wide receiver.
Starting point is 00:06:37 That is certainly the case for KJ Parker. You know it's interesting. We're going to do this exercise as the season goes on. We're going to come up with some over unders and what we anticipate, a kind of numbers for all these guys this season. I believe that this wide receiver group is gonna be a whole lot better though
Starting point is 00:06:53 than EA Sports believes that they're gonna be. I mean, here's a crazy thing. Jacob Gill is the fastest of the wide receivers. He's listed with a 90 speed. Ken Weijin's an 88. You watched that guy last year. Now, maybe it's not wide receiver speed. We'll see, but they have dedicated getting him involved more in the offense this year,
Starting point is 00:07:11 using him more than just a returner and kind of that guy on a jet sweep and doing some different things with the speed that we Jen has. We know he's a lot faster than that. Speaking of speed, Seth Anderson, also in 89. I think he's faster than that one as well. Just need to get that guy healthy and out there. Let's go to the tight end position next. Just two tight ends listed on the Iowa roster. That is Addison Estrenga and 83.
Starting point is 00:07:35 That is the high water mark out of the skill, the pass catchers for Iowa and 83 overall for Addison Estrenga and then Zach Worthworth at a 71. Estrenga, kind of your typical at a 71. Estrenga kind of your typical inline guy, Orthworth the guy that gets down the field. I will see those guys coming up this season I believe. Estrenga I think that's a fair grade for him and I think Orthworth can be a whole lot better than what they are projecting. We finish up on the offensive side of what EA Sports is
Starting point is 00:08:00 Iowa football. I believe this Iowa football team is gonna look like. This is how they have it listed. Your left tackle Jack Dotsler, the starter with a 76 overall. Trevor Locke behind him with a 73. Both Stevens at an 81. He's solid up by Leighton Jones and Josh Janowski. The center position, Logan Jones, a 90 overall. And he could even argue that's maybe a little bit low for Logan Jones, who's going to be one of the best centers, if not the best center in college football this season at the right guard position. Your listed starter is Kate Peeper as we anticipate is going to be the case this year. He's a 77 overall pretty good grade for a guy that hasn't played a ton yet.
Starting point is 00:08:37 It was the sixth offense alignment at times a year ago. His backups, Michael Malinsky, let's get him healthy this year and Kale Crowe at a 72. And then finishing up at right tackle, Jennings Dunker, the preseason all big 10 pick. He's a 91 overall, the top offensive lineman for the Hawkeyes, Kane and Leonard, a young guy at 70 overall, Nolan also there with a 73 and Bodie McCaslin. That rounds out the offensive line.
Starting point is 00:09:02 So maybe if you're playing the game, you can do a little bit of shuffling around a little bit. Jennings Dunker and Logan Jones, a pretty good starting point there. And you'd anticipate an ability to run the football. That's a rundown of what they believe this Iowa football team is going to look like on the offensive side of the football. I have higher expectations, certainly, than that. Let's talk about the defense. How good does EA Sports think
Starting point is 00:09:25 this defense is going to be for the first time in a long time? I think there's more questions about this Iowa football team on the defensive side of the football. Do they agree? We'll talk about it next. Lockdown Hawkeyes. We've all been there, logging on early, waiting forever for concert tickets to go on sale Only to lose your spot for a show you've been dying to see live music should be about making memories Not dealing with the stress of ticket shopping. That's where game time comes in game time mix getting cut tonk concert tickets Faster and easier than ever prices actually drop as it gets closer to showtime and you can save up to 60% off with their killer last-minute deals.
Starting point is 00:10:08 Tired of endlessly scrolling, trying to find that best deal, game time zone deals, pick the best seats in the section for you. And you wonder what it's gonna look like on stage before you buy, the app shows you a panoramic seat view. There will be no surprises. With Game Time, the price you see is the price you pay. No hidden fees. I absolutely love that part of why the Game Time app is the first stop for me. Take the guesswork out of buying concert and show tickets with Game Time. Just download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the code. Locked on college for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code Locked on college LO CKED on
Starting point is 00:10:51 COLL EGE for $20 off download the game time app today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed Try kind of back with you once again on the lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us and making lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We continue here. I look a look at EA Sports has on this Iowa football team coming up this season and what their anticipation level is for the Hawkeye group. Let's go to the defense and the defensive line. Um, couple of names to throw out there, starting with Max Llewellyn. Now, Max Llewellyn had a ton of opportunities to go out and get a bigger payday. You know, there were sec call schools that were making phone calls. He came back to Iowa to complete his eligibility. The Urbandale product, I think is going to have a monster year. We saw so much from him, not just the physical, physicality, excuse me. Easy for me to say, let me get a drink.
Starting point is 00:11:52 There we go. The physicality that Lou Willen plays with, but also he's got some moves, some pass rush moves that are absolutely incredible. Love him on one side. I'm the other listed behind him is Kenneth Merriwether. Kind of been waiting for him to pop. We've been hearing a lot about him. There's going to be some rotational, I think, snaps for him coming up this season and Merriwether
Starting point is 00:12:13 in the middle. You have four guys listed. Aaron Graves, 91 overall. He's going to be excellent. That's a good starting point. Jeremiah Pittman is listed next at a 77. Jonah Pace, the Central Michigan transfer, his third, he's a 75 grade overall, and now Will Huber.
Starting point is 00:12:31 There is no Hawthorne listed in this one. We are going to hear him, I believe, this season. He's gonna be a part of that rotation. Then over on the other side, you got Ethan Hurkett, who is listed with an 88. Powerful, strong, that's what you get with Hurkett. is listed with an 88 powerful strong. That's what you get with Hurkett. He's gonna be good again this season.
Starting point is 00:12:49 One maybe disappointment is Brian Allen, just a 75. And I understand after the injuries that he had last season shutting it down and coming back this year, and we hope healthy for 2025. Brian Allen though, it's violent. It is speed off the edge I mean, he's got the complete package and then one young guys listed with Joseph Anderson He is a 70 overall we go next to the linebacker spot And definitely the biggest question mark for I will football this year is the linebacker spot after losing all-american Jay Higgins after losing all Big Ten Nick Jackson there are going to be question marks but these grades paint
Starting point is 00:13:29 a picture of things being pretty bleak your best linebacker out of the will spot is Carson Shire and we know if healthy Carson Shire is gonna have a monster season it's just that little caveat if healthy for Shire up next at the middle linebacker spot is Jaden Harrell. He's a 76 overall. I mean, that would be a big step back from what Jay Higgins certainly was a season ago. And then over at the same spot, you have two guys listed to 72 overall, Jackson Rexroth and Derek Weiskopf. One of those redshirt freshman linebackers. We've talked a whole lot about another one of them, Preston Reese.
Starting point is 00:14:02 He's listed at a 67. That's what you have a couple of linebacker spots, some other names in there at linebacker Nolan DeLong, the walk-on. He's a 67 overall. Jane Montgomery at a 73. He's the backup to Harold at the middle linebacker spot. And then Zach tweet is a listed at a 68 along with Landon Van Kirkorex, who's been outstanding in special teams. He is a 67 overall. Let's go to the defensive backfield next for Iowa football and what EA Sports thinks this Iowa football team is going to look like this year. They have TJ Hall listed as an 82. We've talked a ton about TJ and the leap that he has taken certainly going back to spring and seems
Starting point is 00:14:41 like he's putting it all together for maybe one of those special senior seasons. The other top cornerback is Deshaun Lee. He's an 81 overall. Jaylen Watson is 72 and the freshman Rashad Godfrey Jr. a 71. So that's what you have at the cornerback spot. Barrios who they brought in from South Dakota, he is not listed in the game. Over to safety. And this might be the biggest miss out of everything
Starting point is 00:15:06 Think at Xavier Wampa. He's a 90 overall. Hope that's the case if Xavier Wampa plays at that kind of level this season He's gonna have a special final year making that move over to the free safety position Koen entering her who will be with us next week in Las Vegas He has listed as an 80 overall and then a pretty big drop off at the safety spot Cole Calerix is 73, Watson McBride is 68, but how about this one? Zach Lutmer is a 69 grade from EA Sports. That is not even close. Zach Lutmer, I believe, is going to play on the periphery of all Big Ten honors.
Starting point is 00:15:40 I believe that's how good we're going to see Zach Lutmer play this season. A 69 grade overall, absolutely brutal. I believe that's how good we're gonna see Zach Lutmer play this season. A 69 grade overall, absolutely brutal. He should be the guy maybe as mad as anybody at the grade that he got from EA sports and then we wrap things up with the special teams and how they see things coming up this year. Some good news there. You got Drew Stevens, he is an 85 at the kicker position.
Starting point is 00:16:01 I think he's gonna be even better than that. Kick power at 93 Reese Dakin He's also an 85 good numbers for Reese Dakin your long snapper tied missing. He is a 65 Okay, have you had many snapping issues playing college football games throughout the years? I have not so if that's not the case this year And then we wrap it up with Kate and we can we kind of question what he looked like With the numbers that were given to him with the wide receiver position and kind of his speed rating in terms of a returner though. It's really good. He is listed at a 97 grade in
Starting point is 00:16:36 the return game. So maybe you're going to have to manufacture a little bit more when you're talking about Iowa football. We're going to do play the video game coming up this season. Those are the grades from EA Sports and what they think this Iowa football team is going to look like. I think the picture is a lot brighter than what they're painting. We continue here on Locked On Hawkeyes. When we do, we got some basketball talk.
Starting point is 00:16:58 Trey Thompson is officially a Hawkeye. What that means and a look at Iowa football's newest walk-on what that looks like for the football team going forward we'll do that as we continue Locked On Hawkeyes trying kind of back with you one final time on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast thanks for being with us and making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day hit subscribe if you're watching me on YouTube, if you're listening on the podcast side, five-star review, all that helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans, and a big shout out to everydayers with us each and every day. Couldn't do it with all of you that are out there.
Starting point is 00:17:39 The announcement became official just a couple of days back as Trey Thompson signs with the Iowa men's basketball program. We talked about Thompson long rumored to be a Purdue Boilermaker. He reclassified for the class of 2025. I had a question over on the comment section on YouTube. What does that mean? What does reclassifying mean? Very simply, this was a kid that was supposed to be a high school senior coming up this year. Instead, graduates high school early and that was supposed to be a high school senior coming up this year. Instead, graduates high school early and he is going to be a freshman this year for the 2025-26 class as opposed to a season before. Basically think of it, he's graduating as a high school Jew.
Starting point is 00:18:18 That's kind of the simplest way to look at what this is and what it means for Trey Thompson. Now because of that, he's younger, obviously that goes hand in hand. And I had also some people on the comments section were saying, well, it must be easy, right? Must be easy anymore. High school has got to be so a lot. Remember, in today's day and age, and I was a former educator, so I know the way that the world has changed, certainly when I was in high school, a billion years
Starting point is 00:18:42 ago is the amount of work that so many kids have done before they graduate high school and before they start college classes ton of them have legs up they've already taken college classes they already have college credits they already are ahead of the game as it pertains to that I mean think of you showed up on a college campus with 15 20 25 credits already and that is something that is becoming more and more common with high school kids all across the board. And it makes it in term easier to graduate early. You get your coursework done.
Starting point is 00:19:13 You're able to do that. You're able to take the ACT, the SAT, you do that. Boom, you're able to go. And we see that also happening a whole lot more. I mean, reclassifying great example. Cooper Flay was a guy that reclassified and went to college a year early for his one season at Duke. Back to Trey Thompson and his signing. First day quote from Coach McCollum and speaking of Coach McCollum, he's going to be joining us
Starting point is 00:19:38 on the podcast this week. Excited to talk with Coach once again and get his perspective the way the summer's been going and a whole lot more. Speaking of that, if you got a question for Coach McCollum hit me up on Twitter at Trent Condon or you can leave a comment here on the YouTube side any questions that you have for Coach McCollum and we'll see if we can get a question or two in there for him. This is what he says about Trey Thompson quote, Trey has a level of versatility that we look for in all of our players. He's six foot eight, he's physical. He can really shoot it and pass it. Trey possesses the game quickly to be able to trigger offense, which should help us in big 10 play unquote. That's what you
Starting point is 00:20:15 have here is he becomes the fourth player in the freshmen recruiting class for the class of 2025, joining Trevin Yurok from Valley and Oklahoma State Sage along with incoming with Coach McCollum, his son Peyton also going to be part of the group. This is still big and you know as we kind of look back upon things and what it is and what Trey Thompson means for the Iowa basketball team. I don't believe that Trey Thompson is going to be the guy that is the difference between this guy going to the NIT or going to the Crown basketball tournament in Vegas and being an NCAA tournament team. I don't think the impact is that A, because I believe even before Trey Thompson, they were going to be an NCAA tournament team.
Starting point is 00:20:57 What do you have? What you have in the back court, obviously with Bennett starts, it all starts with starts and him, what he is going to be for this team, what he can do. I believe in big 10 play, but this is a guy that's still projected to be a top 15, 20 pick next year's NBA draft as a veteran, something that is difficult to do. That's how outside basketball people view starts. You start there and what they were able to do, the holes that they plug, the ability to hit the ground running with a bunch of guys that already know the system, you're in really good shape for Iowa basketball, but you throw Trey
Starting point is 00:21:34 Thompson who has gone head to head with some of the best players in the country at his level. I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be able to give you 15 productive minutes a game, understanding the the game understanding what it's going to take right away Trey Thompson is going to be an important piece to this team not a starter Not a guy that's going to be commending 30 minutes a game With somebody that is going to be a piece and they needed more depth in that front court They just did and we don't know how can man was gonna be able to do
Starting point is 00:22:04 Playing in the Big 10 and playing the center position at six foot seven. And though he has the strength certainly to do that, what happens going up against those bigger players, game in a game out bigger, more skilled players at the center position. Alvaro Ferre-Garris, who was outstanding fool Garris was at Robert Morris and a team that pushed Alabama in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He certainly looked the part in that game. No, he struggled a couple of games over playing for the Spanish national team on the under 20
Starting point is 00:22:32 tournament that they were in. Still, this is a guy that's going to help out big time. And you add Trey Thompson now to that mix inside. And we talked about Europe as they're going to be a role for him. Backup center position, five, eight, 10 minutes a game, something like that, I still think that's there. But Thompson, versatility, those kind of things. And seeing how he fits with Cooper Koch, I think that's also going to be an intriguing part of this all to watch.
Starting point is 00:22:56 Coach McCollum's also been out, July evaluation period is out. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the coming days and what he's seen and some of the prospects that the Hawkeyes are in for the future of Iowa basketball. And one more final don't want to get into before we get out of here. It is the newest newest edition to the Iowa football team. And then there's Wil Han walk on offensive lineman. Now for a long time, you know, these walk ons were a huge part of college football and in this new day and age with the roster limits that are in place kind of in college football the way that they had it and then they walked it back and I will let a bunch of walk-ons move on kind of where we are now roster limits what it's going
Starting point is 00:23:35 to look like not exactly sure but Wilhans coming in this year he's going to be on campus already going through things so he was going to go to Iowa Western. We know what a great Juco that that program has been and what they've been able to do throughout the time. 62270, obviously that says he's targeted for an interior spot, comes in from Decora, but just looking at him physically saw a little highlight package of him, but more importantly, a couple of pictures. He's thick already, big kid. You get into that Iowa weight training program, what he can be. And there's been so many successful walk-ons that have joined the program. So he is the latest that is joining for the class of 2025. And this is not a big walk-on class like it normally is. Will Lockhart comes in from Denver, 6'4", 240 pounds. Dylan Stecker, a wide receiver
Starting point is 00:24:20 from Spirit Lake, a big one, at 6'5", 205 pounds, Race Heitman from Williamsburg just down the road on a 80, a defensive back, 6'2", 190. That's not like a safety prospect, maybe, or he can build himself into a linebacker. Kayden Burr from Bettendorf, big-time kicker, and that's a good get, maybe the future of the kicker position for Iowa football. And then the last two are the most intriguing. Ryan Fitzgerald. Yes. Pat Fitzgerald son, the former Northwestern coach.
Starting point is 00:24:48 He comes in as a walk-on quarterback who had options to play and be a scholarship player in the Mac. And then finally, Braden Jackson. Now I understand I'm in central Iowa, call high school football in central Iowa, so I know these guys a whole lot better than I do the rest of the state. However, seeing Braden Jackson the last couple of years at Ankeny Centennial, dude is physical. He's got great speed, good size, 511, 185 pounds for a running back. And they're just always something special.
Starting point is 00:25:17 He played an offense that is old school and coach Pizzetti, both him and his son, the way they have that offense set up, it's still that old school look of running the football that they do. But you saw some special things out of Braden Jackson. You couple it with the bloodlines, his dad, Fred Jackson, former Cole college running back. But I think most people remember him as a former NFL player, longtime Buffalo Bill, Fred Jackson's son, Braden Jackson,
Starting point is 00:25:42 getting him for a walk on. That's a pretty good cherry on top of that Sunday of the class of 2025 for those high school walk on. So congratulations to Will Hahn. He'll be also joining the team. We'll see developmentally if he can be a piece, it's gonna be helping out in the future. That'll do it for today.
Starting point is 00:25:58 As mentioned, I have Ben McCollum set to go with us this week. That is gonna be fun. We will talk with Coach McCollum about what he expects to see with this team coming up this year, talk some recruiting and a few other things. Again, hit me up in the comment section if you have any questions that you have for Coach McCollum. That'll do it for today.
Starting point is 00:26:16 Thanks as always for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. For your second listen, make sure you're checking out the portal for the latest recruiting news, the latest in the portal and the signings be the most informed fan out there with Brian Smith and the portal you know everything going on in college football you can find the portal on YouTube or wherever you listen
Starting point is 00:26:37 to podcasts we are locked on Hawkeyes I'm Trent Connard with you each and every day talking the world of Hawkeyes. Next week we will be in Las Vegas for Big Ten Football Media Days. We will have a ton for you coming out of Las Vegas next week, but before that, a whole lot more as we start to preview the 2025 Iowa football season. Thanks for being with us as always, and thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes
Starting point is 00:26:59 your first listen every day. Hit subscribe while you're watching us on YouTube, five star review on the audio side. We'll talk to you again tomorrow until then go Hawks

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.