2026 Four-Star Iowa Commit Provides Recruitment Update

The Iowa Hawkeyes are set to receive a flood of official confirmations from the 2026 recruiting class as the early signing period begins on December 3, 2025. The signing window will run through December 5.

Gene Riordan, the four-star interior offensive lineman from Hinsdale Central High School, announced his signing ceremony details on X.

“I will be signing with The University of Iowa on Wednesday, 2:00 pm at Hinsdale Central,” Riordan wrote.

I will be signing with The University of Iowa on Wednesday, 2:00 pm at Hinsdale Central @rymcq65 @HCRedDevilFB @HawkeyeFootball @CoachBarnett_OL pic.twitter.com/EupU4un3V0
— Gene Riordan (@riordan_gene) December 1, 2025

The Hawkeyes had a long recruiting battle with Illinois for Riordan throughout the OL’s junior and senior seasons. The Hinsdale native attended multiple Illinois games, including the Illini's historic 21-7 upset of No. 24 Michigan on October 19, 2024, for the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium.

Despite Illinois coach Bret Bielema's persistent efforts, Riordan ultimately chose Iowa on April 21, 2025, following multiple visits to Iowa City. The relationship with offensive line coach George Barnett and Iowa's decades-long track record of developing offensive linemen for the NFL proved crucial.

"I feel I will reach my greatest potential as a Hawkeye," Riordan said at the time of his commitment.

Riordan picked the Hawkeyes over an impressive offer list that included Auburn, Penn State, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Kansas State, Northwestern, Boston College, Louisville, and Kansas. He is the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in Illinois, according to 247Sports.

Riordan's father also played college football, and his younger brother, Tommy Riordan, is a 6-foot-4.5, 240-pound defensive lineman in the class of 2027. Tommy has already received offers from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kansas, Purdue, and Minnesota.

Gene took his official visit on June 20, 2025, and Tommy has attended multiple recruiting events at Iowa. Gene also made many unofficial visits to Iowa City, including trips on October 18, 2025, and November 2, 2024.

Gene Riordan’s High School Career

At Hinsdale Central, Riordan helped lead the Red Devils to a 7-4 record in 2025, including a playoff appearance where they fell to Maine South 33-29 in a thrilling second-round Class 8A game.

The Red Devils finished 6-3 in the regular season with victories over West Aurora (56-7), Naperville Central (28-14), Lyons (29-26), Downers Grove South (52-40), Proviso West (65-0), and Oak Park-River Forest (35-15). They earned the No. 27 seed in the Class 8A playoffs with a first-round win over South Elgin (45-15) before their season ended against the Hawks.

Iowa’s 2026 Recruiting Class

Riordan was the sixth offensive lineman in Iowa's 2026 class, joining four-star prospects Carson Nielsen and Hudson Parliament, along with three-star commits Owen Linder, Colin Whitters, and Sawyer Jezierski.

Iowa's 2026 recruiting class currently ranks No. 27 nationally and No. 8 in the Big Ten according to 247Sports, with 17 scholarship players committed ahead of the December 3 early signing period.

Riordan joins fellow commits Carson Nielsen, Colin Whitters, Brody Schaffer, Luke Brewer, Hudson Parliament, Owen Linder and Marcello Vitti in confirming December 3 signing ceremonies.

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