No. 35 — WR Jacob Hillyer

No. 35 . . .

One ongoing theme here in the mid 30s — maybe it always will be as long as we do this — has been the re-makeover makeover that's happening at wide receiver.

Remember 2013? Iowa signed six wide receivers. Iowa held off on signing offensive linemen and tried to stock the WR position for somewhat newly hired offensive coordinator Greg Davis and totally newly hired WR coach Bobby Kennedy.

Kennedy loved these guys. At the time, what wasn't there to love about Derrick Willies (sigh, juco this year and Texas Tech the next), Anjeus Jones (transferred), Derrick Mitchell (now an RB), Andre Harris (still in development), Matt VandeBerg (progressing, big opportunity this season) and Damond Powell (who graduated after last season with this epitaph 'They used him as much as they could or as much as they knew how' depending on your point of view).

Here we are two years later. There's VandeBerg and maybe Harris. That's it.

So, here's the re-makeover makeover, with at least a foursome of freshmen (Joshua Jackson, Jerminic Smith, Emmanuel Ogwo and Adrian Falconer) and a couple of seniors at the top.

You know Tevaun Smith is one of those seniors. Jacob Hillyer (6-4, 212) is the next and this is his post.

The numbers are the numbers . . .

Through three seasons, Hillyer has 23 catches for 255 yards and three TDs. He's done nice things (he kept alive a TD drive against ISU last season with great fourth-down reception). He hasn't done a ton of things, but there have been some nice things.

Hillyer caught 11 passes last season and 11 the year before, so let's put him down for 11 this year.

'Jacob Hillyer is an extremely valuable player not only at the wide receiver position but also special teams,' WR coach Bobby Kennedy said. 'He's not arrived yet. He can get better. He can get better this spring, he can get better next fall.'

Outlook . . .

Junior Riley McCarron is the only WR whose name didn't make it to this list. I'm going to mention him here to cover a base and to try to make a point. As of now, going off previous experience, resumes and what they did in the spring, after Tevaun Smith, does Iowa have a hierarchy at wide receiver?

Does Hillyer hold any more potential than McCarron? Andrew Stone? Jay Scheel? Incoming freshmen? The answer is no. After Tevaun Smith, Iowa needs to figure out who can do what. VandeBerg looks like a possible No. 2 (he'll get a crack at Kevonte Martin-Manley's slot position), but it's plausible someone else, with a great August camp, could steal it.

Here's a thing Hillyer has going for him that could be something this season: He's 6-4, 212. He's got size and can play a physical game. He doesn't get great separation, but C.J. Beathard is the kind of QB who can put a ball in a place where Hillyer can go get it.

'Rudock was a good quarterback, but I think C.J. brings something to the team that we as a receiver corps really needed,' Hillyer said. 'I think it's going to be fun watching him get the ball downfield.'

Iowa probably can't make a living off something like that, but every little bit helps and Hillyer might wedge his way into the plans as a chain mover.

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