Kyler Gerardy Living Dream with Hawkeyes
Kyler Gerardy thought he figured out his future. He committed to play college football at North Dakota State, one of the top FCS programs in the country.
Life has a way of changing things up on us, however. That happened for the Eldridge (IA) North Scott high standout when Iowa offered him a chance to walk on.
"After getting a walk-on opportunity from my dream school, I knew I had to take it," Gerardy said.
He flipped a verbal pledge made to NDSU in June to accepting the Hawkeye offer on Dec. 1.
"Taking the walk-on spot is betting on myself. But there’s a history of walk-ons having success at Iowa, so it felt like a good decision," he said.
Gerardy (6-0, 185) produced at a high level for the Lancers, earning first-team all-state laurels in his final two seasons. As a senior, the dual-threat quarterback passed for 1,380 yards and 14 touchdowns against three interceptions. He rushed for 843 yards and 13 scores.
While watching Gerardy's junior highlights, you see his athleticism pop off the film. It's easy to envision him playing positions other than quarterback.
Iowa recruited Gerardy as a safety. He did compete on defense at North Scott, collecting 12 solo tackles and an interception last fall.
"Being a high school quarterback then switching over and playing safety is something that multiple people have done at Iowa," he said.
Current Hawkeye starting free safety Quinn Schulte took that path after calling signals for Cedar Rapids (IA) Xavier. Starting cash, Sebastian Castro, also lined up at quarterback at Oaklawn (IL) Richards High.
Schulte is among a long list of walk-ons to earn a scholarship and starting position in the Iowa secondary through the years.
"Going in there, I know that I’m gonna have to put in a lot of hard work on and off the field. I’m ready to do that. I’m just gonna do whatever I can to get on the field and help the team," Gerardy said.
Gerardy has started for three seasons for the North Scott basketball team. He ran with the Iowa Barnstormers on the AAU circuit. In addition to athletics, he's shined in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA.
"I'll study exercise science at Iowa," he said.
Gerardy is thankful for the support he's received from the Eldridge and North Scott communities. He sees it as a main reason he's succeeded in sports and school.
"The athletic programs at North Scott have always pushed everyone to be their best on and off the field. The players that we have at North Scott push each other to be the best that they can. And the the community around our sports teams are amazing. They’re always showing up and supporting us. We’re really lucky to have the community we have," he said.
It can be tough choosing between accepting a scholarship from a smaller college and paying your way to take a shot at the highest level. Gerardy isn't second-guessing his decision.
"I grew up an Iowa fan my whole life. It just felt right," he said.
