Iowa recruiting buzz: Hawkeyes targets schedule visits

IOWA CITY — As Iowa begins its spring football season Wednesday, the program has been scheduling plenty of recruiting visits.

Here’s a rundown of Iowa’s recruiting activity since March 17:

Committed elsewhere

Four-star athlete Kaden Feagin chose Illinois over Iowa, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Indiana and others Wednesday. Feagin, 6-foot-2, was the third-best 2023 prospect from Illinois in Rivals’ rankings.

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Visits scheduled

Jason Hammond, a three-star defensive tackle in the 2023 class, is taking a visit to Iowa Wednesday. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., prospect has offers from Arizona State, Pitt, Iowa State and Ole Miss, among others.

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Class of 2023 defensive end Messiah Blair will visit Iowa City on April 23 — the same day as Iowa’s open practice at Kinnick Stadium — he told Rivals.

The 6-7 prospect from Detroit is 52nd in 247Sports’ composite rankings of edge rushers in his class. Blair has offers from Iowa, Purdue, Cincinnati, Buffalo and others.

Keelan Smith, a 2024 wide receiver from Liberty, Mo., will visit Iowa this weekend. The 6-3 prospect does not have a star rating yet from 247Sports or Rivals. Nebraska also has taken an interest in Smith and hosted him earlier in the month.

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Kai Black, a three-star wide receiver in the 2023 class, is planning to visit Iowa’s April 9 practice, according to multiple media reports, and will officially visit the Hawkeyes in late June.

Black will be taking his official visit at the same time as several 2023 prospects who either already committed or are key targets.

Darius Taylor, a three-star 2023 athlete from Walled Lake, Mich., will visit the Hawkeyes on March 29, according to a Rivals report.

Taylor also has visited Purdue, Northwestern and Boston College this month. The Hawkeyes offered him a scholarship in January. Other offers include Cincinnati, Purdue, Maryland, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Recruiting class rankings

Iowa’s 2023 recruiting class slid one spot to 11th nationally in 247Sports’ composite rankings and 13th in Rivals’ rankings. The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among Big Ten teams.

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