Cedar Rapids Kennedy offensive lineman Nick Brooks commits to Iowa Hawkeyes

CEDAR RAPIDS — Nick Brooks decided to come back home this fall. Now he says he’ll stay home to play college football.

The Cedar Rapids Kennedy junior offensive lineman announced in a ceremony - on his 17th birthday - at the school Friday afternoon that he will attend the University of Iowa.

A large gathering of family members and Kennedy students exploded into loud cheers when Brooks, surrounded by his father, Ralph Copeland, and mother, Nicole Brooks, took an Iowa hat out of his backpack and put it on his head.

The 6-foot-8, 385-pounder is considered a four-star recruit by Rivals. He picked the Hawkeyes over fellow finalists Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida State.

“It’s very close to home,” Nick Brooks said. “It’s close to my mom’s house, my dad’s house. That was a big part of my decision, as well as (offensive line) Coach (George) Barnett, (head) Coach (Kirk) Ferentz.”

Brooks grew up in Cedar Rapids but moved with an aunt to Georgia for his freshman and sophomore years of high school, where he caught the eye of just about every major college football program.

He decided to move back to Cedar Rapids for this school year and play for Kennedy, where he had friends who attended Harding Middle School with him. The Cougars are 0-2 going into their game Friday night at Linn-Mar.

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Brooks was a visitor at Iowa’s season opener last week against Utah State and said that cemented his decision.

“There are just a whole lot of things that I’ve seen,” Brooks said. “This game experience that I went through (last) week, there was no other college that was better. The love that (recruiting coordinator) Coach Tyler Barnes gave me, Coach Barnett gave me while I was there was just great. It was time.”

“The thing that really jumped out at me about him was his mobility,” said Kennedy Coach Brian White. “In the summer, when you are in T-shirts and shorts, everybody looks really, really good. But then when you put a helmet on, you start hitting pads, you start doing everything, and guys start separating themselves a little bit ... He’s the real deal.”

Brooks’ life has not been terribly easy, though by all accounts, he is a good kid. He has 17 biological and step siblings and lives with a 27-year step sister in a northeast Cedar Rapids apartment.

“Yes, my life had been difficult,” Brooks said. “But it is better now after going to Georgia for two years, now knowing my worth. Football keeps me locked in, for sure.

“I left because of, like, family problems, money, all of those things. But now I’m back, and I’m ready to go.”

Brooks’ verbal commitment is non-binding, and he cannot sign a National Letter of Intent until he is a senior. Iowa got an early commitment from Southeast Polk grad Kadyn Proctor last year, but the five-star offensive lineman ultimately signed with Alabama.

“Iowa is the perfect place for (Brooks),” White said.

“I’m not sure, yet,” Brooks said, when asked if he planned on taking official visits to other schools when he’s a senior. “I’ll definitely keep my options open. But I’m locked in.”

Brooks is Iowa’s second commit in the 2025 recruiting class, joining defensive lineman Joey VanWetzinga from Pleasant Valley.

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