Iowa's Class of 2027 Ranking After Receiving Fourth Commitment

The Iowa Hawkeyes earned their first commitment from a player outside of the state.

10. (tie) Phil Parker, Iowa defensive coordinator, $1,900,000 | Joseph Cress / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While all eyes have been on the NCAA tournament, the Iowa Hawkeyes secured their fourth commitment in the Class of 2027.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz continues to put in the work as Jake Thies, a three-star safety out of Illinois, committed to the Hawkeyes on March 28.

Thies joins a pair of linebackers and a tight end who just so happens to be Cooper DeJean's brother in the Class of 2027.

With four current commitments, Iowa still has its eyes on plenty of players. It's worth noting that three of their four commitments are from in-state recruits, and Thies was the first to break that trend.

Iowa's Fourth Commitment: Jake Thies

BREAKING:

Three-star safety out of Fenwick High School in the Chicago area, Jake Thies has committed to Iowa, per his Instagram. He chose the Hawkeyes over programs like Illinois, Vanderbilt, Kansas, Northwestern, West Virginia and others.

Profile: https://t.co/bpOsCRctx9 pic.twitter.com/6HpVZesNRt

— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) March 28, 2026

Thies is a 6-foot, 185-pound safety out of Oak Park, Ill. He plays for Fenwick High School and chose Iowa over fellow Big Ten schools such as Illinois and Northwestern, along with programs like Vanderbilt, Kansas and West Virginia.

Iowa now has four three-star recruits on the way, but Thies is extremely talented and is someone who immediately stood out to defensive coordinator Phil Parker.

"Coach Parker really likes my versatility and said he could see me at a couple different places, but mentioned CASH or one of the other safety spots,” Thies told Rivals' Allen Trieu. "He also wants his guys to know all positions and stressed the importance of football I.Q.”

Iowa's Class of 2027 Ranking: No. 30

Nov 8, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz looks at a replay on the scoreboard during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

According to 247Sports, Iowa has the No. 30 overall Class of 2027. The linebackers they're bringing in are Gavin Stecker and Braylon Bingham, while Jaxx DeJean is the lone tight end. Defense has been a clear priority, as it always tends to be with this program.

Thies could obviously change his mind as he has visits lined up with Illinois on April 10 and Northwestern on May 8. He's scheduled to be in Iowa City on June 5, which should put the cherry on top, though crazier things have happened in recent memory.

Regardless, Iowa should be thrilled with its current ranking. The Hawkeyes don't have any four or five-star players committed just yet, but they've gone with a quantity approach this time around, which is a great thing to have in the age of the transfer portal.

To compare, Oklahoma currently has the No. 1 class with 19 commitments. The Sooners are one of two teams that have three five-star recruits on the way, with the other being Texas A&M. Shockingly, Ohio State only has two, with nine commitments in their class so far. To no surprise, those are the top three schools in the Class of 2027. Currently, Iowa is behind eight B1G schools, even with a top 30 class in the nation.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!