Recruiting primer going into the last weekend

With an early boost from the east, Iowa's football recruiting jumped to a fast start and kept rolling.

The very first commitment was from Eastern Iowa. Solon linebacker/running back James Morris committed as a sophomore in 2007. Then, Michigan linebacker Austin Gray picked Iowa. Not long after, the east coast kicked in, with Baltimore's Gilman School kicking in linebacker Jim Poggi and defensive tackle Anthony Ferguson.

So, don't expect many surprises next Wednesday, when the national signing period begins.

Ohio safety Anthony Hitchens appears to be the last piece to the 2010 recruiting class. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder committed to the Hawkeyes last weekend, putting Iowa's ‘10 class at 20.

Iowa needed linebackers in this class. With the graduation of linebackers Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, Iowa will depend on a trio of seniors next season - Jeremiah Hunter, Jeff Tarpinian and Troy Johnson. Junior Tyler Nielsen will factor in, but after him it might be red-shirt freshman Shane DiBona.

The Hawkeyes are poised to sign for linebackers. Morris, a 6-2, 215-pounder, might have the most notice. He helped Solon to three straight Class 2A state titles, rushing for 2,247 yards and 40 touchdowns this season. At Iowa, he's a linebacker, probably on the weakside. Gray, a 6-2, 220-pounder, could hold down the middle. The outside position might be Poggi, 6-2, 215, with Christian Kirksey, a 6-2, 200-pounder from Hazelwood (Mo.) East High School.

Iowa didn't recruit a quarterback in the 2009 class. The Iowa staff got two potential QBs.

A.J. Derby, a 6-4, 220-pound Parade All-American, might have “athlete” next to him name in a lot of places, but as far as he and Iowa is concerned, he's a quarterback.

“Most (recruiting) Web sites just have me listed an ‘athlete,' like I might play something else,” said Derby, who's enrolled at Iowa and will be eligible for spring practice. “But the Iowa coaches and I are set on quarterback.”

While leading City High to the Class 4A state title, Derby passed for 1,820 yards with 23 TD passes to eight interceptions.

The other potential QB is Ballard High School's Austin Vier. He's a 6-7, 220-pounder who could also end up at tight end, but he's beginning his Iowa career at quarterback.

Iowa's defensive line is more than set for 2010, but end Adrian Clayborn and tackles Karl Klug and Christian Ballard will be gone in 2011. So, the 2010 class is a refill there.

Ferguson is a 280-pounder with a wrestling background. He'll be joined by Carl Davis, a 6-5, 300-pound tackle from Sterling Heights, Mich., and end Louis Trinca-Pasat, a 6-3, 235-pounder from Lane Tech (also an early enrollee). Mike Hardy, a 6-5, 260-pounder from Appelton, Wis., will start his career as a D-end. Donavan Johnson, a 6-2, 245-pounder from Arlington, Texas, will play tackle or end at Iowa.

The offensive standouts could be tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz and running back Marcus Coker.

Fiedorowicz is a 6-7, 250-pounder with a resume nearly as tall as he is. He caught 44 passes for 921 yards and 15 TDs last season at Johnsburg (Ill.) High School. He also had basketball scholarship offers from Indiana and Wisconsin.

Coker, a 6-foot, 228-pounder, rushed for 1,626 yards and 20 TDs for DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md. He's a big back in the Shonn Greene mold.

Iowa also has five walk-ons scheduled to enroll next fall. City High running back Ellis Jordan and wide receiver John Chelf will walk on, along with Dubuque Wahlert kicker Mike Meyer.

Iowa also has a grayshirt commitment from Australian punter Jonny Mullings, whose scholarship would begin in 2011.

Here are Iowa's 20 scholarship commitments. The national signing period begins Feb. 3.

James Morris, LB, 6-2, 215, Solon High School

Austin Gray, LB, 6-2, 220, Fitzgerald High School (Warren, Mich.)

Jim Poggi, LB, 6-2, 215, Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.)

Anthony Ferguson, DT, 6-2, 280, Gilman School (Baltimore, Md.)

Louis Trinca-Pasat, DE, 6-3, 235, Lane Tech (Chicago)

Austin Vier, ATH, 6-7, 220, Ballard High School

Mike Hardy, DL, 6-5, 260, Kimberly High School (Appleton, Wis.)

Brandon Scherff, OL, 6-6, 295, Denison-Schleswig High School

Andrew Donnal, OL, 6-7, 285, Anthony Wayne High School (Whitehouse, Ohio)

Marcus Coker, RB, 6-1, 222, DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, Md.)

Don Shumpert, ATH, 6-2, 185, Hazelwood (Mo.) East High School

Christian Kirksey, ATH, 6-2, 200, Hazelwood (Mo.) East High School

D'Andre Johnson, RB, 5-8, 210, Monsignor Pace High School (Miami, Fla.)

B.J. Lowery, CB, 5-11, 175, Cincinnati (Ohio) Hughes High School

A.J. Derby, QB, 6-4, 220, Iowa City High School (Iowa City)

Donovan Johnson, DE, 6-2, 245, Martin High School (Arlington, Texas)

Carl Davis, DT, 6-5, 300, Adlai Stevenson High School (Sterling Heights, Mich.)

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, 6-7, 245, Johnsburg (Ill.) High School

Kevonte Martin-Manley, WR, 6-1, 198, Brother Rice (Birmingham, Mich.) High School

Anthony Hitchens, S, 6-1, 195, Clearview (Lorain, Ohio) High School

WALK ONS

Mike Meyer, K, 6-1, 175, Dubuque Wahlert

Ellis Jordan, RB, 5-7, 180, Iowa City High

Jon Chelf, WR, 5-10, 170, Iowa City High

Cole Heissel, DL, 6-6, 240, LeMars Gehlen Catholic

Evan McMillan, QB, St. Paul (Minn.) Academy

GRAYSHIRTS

Jonny Mullings, P, Colston School, Canberra, Australia