Hawkeyes grab juco WR

Kirk Ferentz was asked last month about recruiting junior colleges. He said the Hawkeyes were looking.

Today, the Hawkeyes did some finding.

Snow College (Ephraim, Utah) wide receiver Damond Powell committed to the Hawkeyes on Sunday afternoon, he announced on his Twitter account. Powell, who'll have three years to play two, will report to Iowa City in June. Last season for Snow, he Powell led the Badgers with 1,231 receiving yards and finished No. 1 in the nation with 30.0 yards on 41 receptions. He earned first-team Western States Football League for Snow College (10-1, 8-0).

Powell caught three passes for 150 yards, including a 75-yard TD reception, in the Badgers' 47-21 victory over ASA College in the Carrier Dome Bowl. Snow finished the season ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA.

Iowa offered on Sunday. Powell (5-11, 175 pounds) accepted, with Ohio being his only other offer. According to HawkeyeReport.com, Iowa coaches told Powell he'd have a chance to play next season. Wide receiver is a need position for the Hawkeyes. Junior Kevonte Martin-Manley led the Hawkeyes with 52 catches for 571 yards and two TDs. After Martin-Manley, Iowa's next wide receiver was senior Jordan Cotton, who caught 12 passes for 172 yards and a TD. After Cotton, sophomore Tevaun Smith came in the three catches for 31 yards.

Powell was top five in national juco stats in yards per catch (30.0, No. 1), receiving yards (1,231, No. 3), touchdowns (14, No. 3) and yards per game (102.6, 4th).

Powell is the 16th pickup for Iowa's 2013 recruiting class and fourth potential wide receiver, joining Derrick Willies, Derrick Mitchell Jr. and Andre Harris.

The national signing period begins Feb. 6.

Highlights from Rivals/HawkeyeReport.

Derrick Willies, WR, 6-3, 190 Rock Island (Ill.) High School ***

Delano Hill, FS, 6-1, 190 Cass Tech High School (Detroit, Mich.) ****

Colin Goebel, OL 6-4, 275 Naperville (Ill.) North High School ***

Nathan Bazata, DT, 6-2, 270 Howells (Neb.) High School ***

Brant Gressel, DT, 6-2, 283 Centerville (Ohio) High School ***

John Kenny, LB, 6-2, 210 Caramel (Ind.) High School ***

Nic Shimonek, QB, 6-4, 205 Mildred (Corsicana, Texas) High School ***

Malik Rucker, CB, 6-0, 175 Cooper (New Hope, Minn.) High School ***

Derrick Mitchell, Jr., WR, 6-0, 185 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) High School ***

Andre Harris, WR, 6-1, 170 Kirkwood (Mo.) High School ***

Sean Welsh, OL, 6-3, 275 Springboro (Ohio) High School ***

Ike Boettger, ATH, 6-5, 220 Cedar Falls High School **

Trevon Young, DE, 6-4, 220 Lincoln (Des Moines) High School ***

Solomon Warfield, DB, 6-0, 170 St. Edwards (Cleveland, Ohio) ***

Jon Wisnieski, TE, 6-5, 215 West Des Moines Dowling ***

Damond Powell, WR, 5-11, 175 Snow College (Ephraim, Utah) (unrated by Rivals.com)

* = Rivals.com's star rating