Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Iowa
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. Here's the players from Iowa set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
#9. Colin Whitters (IOL)
- Position rank: #68
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State
- High school: West Senior (Iowa City, IA)
#8. Draeden Punt (DL)
- Position rank: #82
- College: Kansas
- Offers: Kansas, Kansas State, South Dakota
- High school: MOC-Floyd Valley (Orange City, IA)
#7. Dreshaun Ross (ATH)
- Position rank: #42
- College: not committed
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan, Minnesota
- High school: Fort Dodge (Fort Dodge, IA)
#6. Jeffrey Roberts (WR)
- Position rank: #86
- College: Iowa State
- Offers: Iowa State, Kansas State
- High school: Ames (Ames, IA)
#5. Kasen Thomas (LB)
- Position rank: #34
- College: not committed
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Arizona, Kansas State, Michigan State
- High school: Bishop Heelan Catholic (Sioux City, IA)
#4. Jayden McGregory (ATH)
- Position rank: #26
- College: not committed
- Offers: Louisville, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Georgia
- High school: Valley (Des Moines, IA)
#3. Evan Jacobson (TE)
- Position rank: #15
- College: not committed
- Offers: Notre Dame, Florida State, Auburn, Texas A&M, Stanford
- High school: Waukee (Waukee, IA)
#2. Carson Nielsen (OT)
- Position rank: #23
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri
- High school: West (Waterloo, IA)
#1. Julian Manson (ATH)
- Position rank: #15
- College: not committed
- Offers: Iowa, Minnesota, Arizona, Kansas State, Kent State
- High school: West Senior (Iowa City, IA)