Iowa football recruiting: Expect one of the new running backs to play in '16

Iowa running back remains one of the great curiosities of Big Ten football. It's mostly a collective. When it works, it's brilliant and fits with what Kirk Ferentz wants his offense to be (Iowa finished fifth in the B1G in rushing this season, its highest finish since 2008).

Big Ten defenses defend Iowa's scheme. You see teams often overload the line of scrimmage because that's the best way to defend zone and power plays. Defenses don't do that to stop a particular back. They do it to defend what Iowa does.

Does Iowa 2016 have a running back who can dictate to a defense? Maybe. Right now going into spring, on paper, no, it doesn't. But we have to see how it all will fit together in the fall. Maybe that running back can emerge.

Maybe that running back can be one of the two incoming freshmen? Probably not. Iowa has a strong group of four running backs who have experience in games and the system — LeShun Daniels, Akrum Wadley, Derrick Mitchell and Eric Graham.

The door is open, though. The door always seems open for something at Iowa running back. And that's what holds our curiosity.

Toks Akinribade

Toks Akinribade (Toeks A-KIN-ri-body) committed to the Hawkeyes in June. He is a 6-0, 205-pound running back who was highly productive at Brownsburg (Ind.) High School. Akinribade had a smattering of offers when he committed to Iowa, with Michigan being the headliner.

In light of Michigan's last-minute raid of running back Karan Higdon last year, you always kind of wondered if Akinribade would actually land in Iowa City.

Notre Dame always kind of lurked. It's an in-state school for Akinribade with all of the tradition and yada yada. ND never offered. Then, about a month before signing day, Jim Reid, Iowa's main contact with Akinribade, left Iowa to become defensive coordinator at Boston College. And then, there was rumor of a late visit with Indiana, just 45 minutes from Brownsburg.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz had an in-home with the family. Akinribade's entire family made the visit to Iowa City in January. This built the bond, or deepened it. The Indiana visit was canceled and Iowa landed a 3-star running back.

Akinribade holds school records for career rushing yards and touchdowns and most rushing yards in a game.

Rivals: 2 stars Scout: 3 stars 247Sports: 3 stars Composite: 3.00

2 stars

Depth chart in 2016?: LeShun Daniels missed two games with an ankle injury last season. Akrum Wadley missed a game with an ankle injury and didn't play in four other games. Derrick Mitchell has 25 career carries. No one has a resume that takes up more than one page. Akinribade has a good chance to play next season.

Off-the-top-of-my-head Hawkeye comparison: Jermelle Lewis

There's a size-and-speed match here. Lewis was 5-11, 215 during his days at Iowa. Akinribade has a shot to hit 215 maybe this fall. Watch tape. AKinribade runs through angles you don't think he should be able to run through. As a prep, he was more than strong enough to run through wash.

Iowa recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace: 'We loved him for a long time. Very versatile. We had to continue to recruit him, whether it was the in-state school Indiana or the Michigan offer early on and just some overall interest in his production, that was a little touch-and-go. Jim Reid was recruiting him. He took the job at BC. We transitioned Kelvin Bell into that opportunity to be on the road. Kelvin took it over and did an outstanding job and really sealed the deal. In that first week we were able to be out on the road, and then that first visit weekend, his whole family was here. That's really what solidified things. Up until then, it was a little touch and go.

He looks like a guy who could maybe help you right away? 'Somebody is going to have to. He or Toren Young. Someone is going to have to split from that redshirt freshman and potentially use that freshman year immediately, but we'll see how it goes.'

ESPN scouting: Runs with good body lean which enables him to take hits on the top of his pads. He does not get knocked around as his body lean coupled with his frame allow him to run with solid power. He is athletic and strong enough that he keeps his balance in tight quarters.

From @Hawkeyegamefilm: He uses his size well and runs with good natural body lean. He will drive his legs on contact and most of the time will finish runs moving forward. He shows an initial burst to and through the hole, which is often a key for successful RBs in zone heavy schemes. He has above average straight line speed and excellent lateral agility. He displays some nice instincts picking and sliding through holes. He often will make multiple cuts through the hole to evade tacklers, especially closing safeties as he breaks to the second level.

From @Plannedsickdays: He's not as physically mature as Derrick Mitchell, but reminds me a lot of DMX. He's not the bulldozer LeShun Daniels is or the scatback Akrum Wadley is, but he could play the third-down back or be an early down back if called upon.

From Tom Kakert, HawkeyeReport.com: Still learning the game and a bit raw right now, but the ceiling with Toks is very high. Love is size, speed, and strength as a running back. Iowa won a pretty good recruiting battle for him with some high level competition and held off his in-state school, Indiana, which made a late push. I think Toks could be pretty good in Iowa's run game scheme.

My take: Akinribade ran out of a pistol formation and read-option sort of scheme as a prep. I don't know if that translates to what Iowa does, but I don't think it's a deal-breaker on whether or not he plays as a true freshman. I think he does. He has speed and what looks to be good lateral quickness and vision. He has power on his level as a prep. That part of his game may or may not translate. Product back who flashed multiple skills, I think he can fit in quickly.

Toren Young

Toren Young committed to the Hawkeyes Jan. 25, 2015. He was a Hawkeye for more than a year, so maybe that had something to do with the lack of offers that came the 5-11, 220-pounder's way. Iowa was his lone offer with interest from Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Young is from Madison, Wis., so I wonder where he was on the Badgers' big board? With Iowa offering so early and the commitment coming soon thereafter, it seems as if the Wisconsin made a quick decision and moved on. And then Young had a tremendous senior year for Monona Grove High School, rushing 333 times for 2,779 yards and 28 touchdowns (zero fumbles, it should be noted).

The Wisconsin Rivals site, BadgerBlitz.com, ranked the state's top 35 in the 2016 recruiting class. It had Young at No. 7.

'It was the offer I was looking for,' Young told Rivals.com. 'I feel like Iowa is known for having a hard-nosed, blue-collar type of team and that's who I want to play for. They just want to go to work and play physical and play hard. They're a Big Ten team and they're going to be contending and playing in big bowl games each year.

'Iowa has shown me so much love and the coaches have been so genuine. There were times when I was having problems, even outside of football, and I was able to call the coaches there and talk to them about it. I really respect that.'

Rivals: 3 stars Scout: 3 stars 247Sports: 3 stars Composite: 3.00

3 stars

Depth chart in 2015?: You read what Wallace said. There's a very good chance one of the 2016 RBs plays if for nothing else than to stagger the classes. Physically, Young might be ready. At 5-11, 220, he's got Big Ten RB size. How much bigger do you want Young to get if you're Iowa?

Off-the-top-of-my-head Hawkeye comparison: LeShun Daniels

Power, size and build, Daniels is the quick comparison. I like Young's inside running. He's constantly moving forward with lean and doesn't give defenders much to hit. Quick feet, too.

Iowa recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace: 'Toren Young is a kid we felt was underrecruited. He was probably a late bloomer. Had an outstanding senior season. Was extremely productive. He had more than 300 carries his senior year and never fumbled the ball. That gives you a sense of the type of toughness and discipline this young man has. He's somebody who is more of a downhill runner. He's going to pick up the yard you need when you need them. When there are tough yards to get, he'll be the one who'll get those.

● Interactive Map: Iowa's 2016 football recruits, with insight from Seth Wallace

'Running back-wise, we got two of them we feel very good about. They're good fits for our program. We had long-standing replacements with both. There was no knee-jerk and trying to get in with one really late. We developed a relationship with these guys. We feel like that will be a big deal down the road.'

ESPN scouting: Very difficult to make a solo tackle on him with his determination and his ability to control his body and generate power after contact while maintaining forward progress.

My take: The magic word here is 'downhill runner.' You know Iowa loves that. You know Iowa knows how to put the downhill runner guy to work. Young is a power back. If he hits, he will be the subject of much consternation on Wisconsin message boards during his time at Iowa.

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