Iowa Football Misses on Another Four-Star WR. Now What?

Iowa has missed on another four-star wide receiver, the second in the last week, and it is only adding fuel to the fire around Iowa's recruiting reputation.

Iowa's new offensive coordinator Tim Lester is pictured Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 at the Hansen Football Performance Center on the University of Iowa campus. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The recruiting trail in Iowa City for the Iowa Hawkeyes is not on fire at the moment. In fact, it is a bit dusty and desolate on the offensive side of things.

Iowa is still landing the offensive and defensive linemen, the defensive backs, and the linebackers, but they cannot break through with the offensive skill positions quite yet.

What Missing on Another Four-Star Receiver Means for Iowa Football

For the second time in the last week, the Iowa Hawkeyes have missed on a four-star wide receiver, with Bennett Konkey's commitment to the Illinois Fighting Illini coming on the heels of Lawrence Britt committing to the Missouri Tigers.

While it is missing out on a four-star wide receiver on the surface, this could be a much bigger issue that is tied to Iowa's national offensive brand and reputation that recruits look at.

Iowa misses out on Bennett Konkey to Illinois

Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; A Illinois Fighting Illini helmet sitting on confetti after the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Bennett Konkey, a wide receiver from Geneva High School in Geneva, Illinois, recently moved up from a three-star recruit to a four-star recruit just before his announcement that he is committing to Illinois.

Standing 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Konkey is viewed as the 12th-best prospect in Illinois, the No. 35 wide receiver, and the No. 238 overall player in the class of 2027.

While Iowa was in it until the end as one of the four final schools, which also included Iowa State and Northwestern, the Hawkeyes were left standing alone on the dance floor when the lights came on.

‼️COMMITTED‼️
Excited to be part of the #famILLy@EDGYTIM @GenevaVikingsFB @AllenTrieu @BOOMfootball @BretBielema @coachjstepp @CoachEmbleton @BarryLunneyJr @Rivals @On3 @CoachChris_Roll pic.twitter.com/z7NSJP5HFN

— Bennett Konkey (@BennettKonkey) June 16, 2026

Iowa's reputation is lingering despite recent success

Look at the production the last two years and you will see Iowa has turned somewhat of a corner offensively under Tim Lester. They are scoring more and moving the ball much better.

The problem is that they are still lacking an outside receiver and the past production has done little to lure top talents to Iowa City.

The last wide receiver to lead Iowa in yards was Jacob Gill in 2024. He had 411 yards. Not exactly enticing to recruits.

The last time Iowa had even one wide receiver with over 700 yards was all the way back in 2019, when Ihmir Smith-Marsette posted 722 yards.

Something has to change with Iowa's wide receiver production. They can be in the running for these top recruits all they want, but until the Hawkeyes can prove they are willing and ready to make a wide receiver a focal point of the offense, they are going to continue coming up short.