Iowa Hawkeyes Facing Tough Competition for 2026 WR

The Iowa Hawkeyes are facing tough competition for a 2026 wide receiver target.

Evan Massey | Feb 5, 2025

Sep 18, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; A Hawkeye helmet sits on the sidelines during the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Kent State Golden Flashes at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes still have quite a few irons in the fire when it comes to the 2026 recruiting class. There are a lot of high-impact players that they are in the running for who have yet to decide where they want to commit.

One of those players is three-star wide receiver Amarion Jackson.

Obviously, one of the biggest needs for Iowa right now is adding more wide receiver talent. The Hawkeyes went out and brought in two new quarterback this offseason, one of whom could be the answer under center for a few more years.

Mark Gronowski was one of them, who will compete for the starting job in 2025 but then will run out of eligibility. Hank Brown was the other, who has three more years left to potentially lead Iowa.

Jackson would be a nice get for the Hawkeyes' offense. However, Iowa is facing tough competition to land him.

Currently, On3 Sports is giving Iowa the second-best chances to land Jackson when it's all said and done. Those chances are listed at 40.3 percent. Just ahead of the Hawkeyes at 46.1 percent are the Kansas State Wildcats.

Hailing from Millard South High School in Omaha, Nebraska, Jackson is ranked as the No. 85 wide receiver in the 2026 class. He may not be a highly touted prospect, but he has flashed great ability in high school and could end up developing into a key part of the Iowa offense down the road.

At this point in time, there is no news about when or where Jackson will commit.

Thankfully, the Hawkeyes are viewed as one of the top contenders to land his commitment. They aren't the favorite to get him, but Ferentz and the coaching staff can continue trying to sway him.

Hopefully, when everything is said and done, Jackson will end up deciding that Iowa is where he wants to continue his football career.

Read More Iowa Hawkeyes Coverage

Published Feb 5, 2025

EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.