The newest guy

Dean Tsopanides committed to the Hawkeyes in early July. He's a 2011 recruit, so that's late late.

The Torrington (Conn.) prep is 6-foot-2 1/2 and 240 pounds. He was headed to Milford Academy (the same prep school that produced former Iowa running backs Fred Russel and Shonn Greene) before Iowa stepped in with a late late offer.

"Coach Ferenz said that he wanted me to come out to Iowa City and be a Hawkeye," Tsopanides told the Republican-American. "I told him that I was totally on board with that. I've been a Michigan fan my whole life, but I will now have to change that."

As a senior, Tsopanides recorded nine sacks and 70 tackles, 40 solos. He had two quarterback sacks for Connecticut's Senior All-Stars in a 37-6 win over Rhode Island in the 13th annual Governor's Cup this summer.

As a high school senior, Tsopanides was also the Class L wrestling champion at 215 pounds and fourth at the State Open. He has since added 25 pounds.

"I'm not extremely blessed with height at 6-foot-5 or 6-6, but I am hard-nosed. I will work hard and play with passion, and that is all that matters," said Tsopanides, who caught Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe's eye at a Milford combine.

You know that Iowa is OK with the height thing.

"I'm guessing he's a little bit undersized maybe, that's probably why some people chose not to recruit him," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said Thursday. "We liked his aggressiveness. We're not a size team. We don't have any roller coaster bars like you have at amusement parks ["You must be this tall to ride"]. We're excited about him."