The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Iowa using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Iowa set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 12#12. Mike Montgomery (OT)
- National rank: #2,059 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #163
- College: Ohio
- Offers: Ohio, Northern Iowa
- High school: West Branch (West Branch, IA)
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2 / 12#11. Dalton DeBoer (IOL)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #115
- College: Wake Forest
- Offers: Wake Forest, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Florida Atlantic
- High school: Northwest (Waukee, IA)
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3 / 12#10. Dreshaun Ross (ATH)
- National rank: #1,252 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #99
- College: not committed
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan, Minnesota
- High school: Fort Dodge (Fort Dodge, IA)
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4 / 12#9. Draeden Punt (DL)
- National rank: #629 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #77
- College: Kansas
- Offers: Kansas, Kansas State, South Dakota
- High school: MOC-Floyd Valley (Orange City, IA)
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5 / 12#8. Colin Whitters (IOL)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #44
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State
- High school: Iowa City West (Iowa City, IA)
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6 / 12#7. Jeffrey Roberts (WR)
- National rank: #431 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #63
- College: Iowa State
- Offers: Iowa State, Kansas State
- High school: Ames (Ames, IA)
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7 / 12#6. Luke Brewer (TE)
- National rank: #415 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #20
- College: not committed
- Offers: Iowa State, Iowa, Tennessee, Arizona, Arkansas
- High school: Norwalk (Norwalk, IA)
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8 / 12#5. Jayden McGregory (ATH)
- National rank: #367 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #25
- College: Louisville
- Offers: Louisville, Missouri, Minnesota, Arkansas, Florida State
- High school: Valley (Des Moines, IA)
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9 / 12#4. Kasen Thomas (LB)
- National rank: #353 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #23
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Michigan, Iowa State, Nebraska, Arizona
- High school: Bishop Heelan Catholic (Sioux City, IA)
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10 / 12#3. Evan Jacobson (TE)
- National rank: #277 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #12
- College: Texas A&M
- Offers: Texas A&M, Iowa State, Notre Dame, Missouri, Stanford
- High school: Waukee (Waukee, IA)
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11 / 12#2. Carson Nielsen (OT)
- National rank: #266 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #25
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri
- High school: Waterloo West (Waterloo, IA)
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12 / 12#1. Julian Manson (ATH)
- National rank: #206 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #11
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Kansas State, Arizona, Kent State, Miami
- High school: Iowa City West (Iowa City, IA)
