No. 44 — TE Jon Wisnieski

No. 44 . . .

In spring of 2014, freshman tight end Jon Wisnieski (6-5, 247) suffered an ACL injury that cost him the season. (Iowa lists him as a redshirt freshman, but he signed with the 2013 class, so sophomore?) Wisnieski fits in the 'in-line' tight end mold. He's 6-5, 247 and showed aggression and willingness to mix it up this spring. After redshirting in 2013 and missing last season, you can imagine he's eager to get on the field and hit someone.

Coming out of recruiting . . .

Here's what Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had to say about Wisnieski, a West Des Moines native, 'Jon was a guy we were focused on right from day one. He impressed us not only on film but just everything about him. And that, to me, is the big part about recruiting. The more we got to know him and his family, the more we felt he would fit well in our program. I have high hopes for him as a player. I think he'll be a leader on our football team. And he does things really well and it appealed to us and he's a really serious young man.'

And then Rivals.com midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt: 'I really like Wisnieski a lot. We [Rivals] have him at the top of the three stars, the No. 21 tight end in the country. He's not a low-ranked kid. No. 2 in the state. He's one I wish I would've been able to see in person a little bit more toward the end of his process, because if there's one player in this class that I'm a little worried about being too low, it's Jon Wisnieski.'

With no game action and just a few looks at Wisnieski during spring practice, that's kind of what we know about him right now.

A little TE upheaval . . .

Tight end has a new position coach this season. D.J. Hernandez's three years as a graduate assistant expired, so outside linebackers coach LeVar Woods was switched to tight ends. Iowa has five tight ends in the NFL and has had four tight ends coaches in the last half dozen or so seasons, so this probably isn't as big of a deal as it might look like.

Woods played linebacker for Iowa and in the NFL. He coached linebackers at Iowa. And now he's the TE coach, which is a fit because (or should be a fit) as an outside linebacker, he defended tight ends.

Watching Woods workout the group, you'll notice it's a physical endeavor and that should fit Wisnieski, who looks a lot like former Iowa TE Ray Hamilton, who signed a free-agent deal with the Cowboys.

Here's what Woods had to say about Wisnieski this spring: 'He's just a younger guy that didn't have the experience. He obviously was injured, so you know that. He was injured for basically a year. He's coming along. He just has not had the experience and has not had the opportunity, but he's progressing well. I like Jon a lot. Very, very smart guy and knows what he's doing. You brought up the point, he came in with a lot of accolades in recruiting and we expect him to fill those.'

TE upheaval Part 2 . . .

Senior Jake Duzey is on this list, even though he suffered a patellar tendon tear during spring practice and is expected to be out until sometime in September.

So, Duzey's absence obviously changes things. For one, Iowa is sort of short on scholarship tight ends. It's a position that has had as many as eight scholarship players in recent seasons. With Duzey sidelined, Iowa will have five scholarship TEs who have a combined total of 13 receptions. Duzey changes everything. He has 58 career receptions. He is a proven target.

Outlook . . .

Wisnieski has to look at Duzey's absence as an opportunity. He has two seniors ahead of him in Duzey and Henry Krieger Coble and a junior in George Kittle. Kittle likely gets the targets that Duzey would've gotten. Wisnieski sets up as the No. 2 'in-line' TE with Krieger Coble. There is value, probably more for blocking than in receiving, in that Wisnieski will be trusted to perform.

Still, Wisnieski will have an opportunity to fill a need and install himself as Iowa's TE of the future.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com