Iowa Hawkeyes Hall of Fame Inductee Shares Recruitment Story

Iowa Hawkeyes Hall of Fame Inductee Brandon Scherff opened up on how he was recruited to Iowa. Hawkeyes assistant coach Reese Morgan approached him at a track and field event, asking Scherff if he played football.

“He asked me if I played football,” Scherff said. “I said, ‘You bet.’ He says, ‘What position?’ I said, ‘Quarterback.’ He says, ‘Oh, no.’”

Despite Scherff being a quarterback, the Hawkeyes remained interested in him.

“I got an offer from Iowa, and I said, ‘For quarterback?’ and Coach (Kirk) Ferentz said, ‘Absolutely not,’” Scherff said. “They saw something in me that I never, never imagined.”

Ferentz and Iowa envisioned Scherff as an offensive lineman, and he turned into an elite one.

“I think it was sophomore year, I remember sitting down with them, and they said that if you keep playing well and doing this, you’ve got a shot at playing in the NFL,” Scherff said. “As a little kid, that was a dream for me. And it kind of put it in perspective for me that, you know, it could happen.

In the 2014 season at Iowa, Scherff was named an All-American and was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. This season made him one of the top prospects as he entered the 2015 NFL Draft.

Jul 25, 2019; Richmond, VA, USA; Washington Redskins offensive guard Brandon Scherff (75) walks onto the field prior to practice on day one of training camp at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Brandon Scherff's NFL Career

Following a great year with the Hawkeyes, Scherff was drafted by the Washington Redskins (now known as the Commanders) with the fifth overall pick.

He spent seven seasons and three with the Jacksonville Jaguars, putting together a solid NFL career. Scherff was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 2020 season.

Scherff has retired from the NFL, following a decade of playing in the league. He made over $111 million in his career and was consistently one of the top interior offensive linemen in the league.

“It’s been something I could never dream of,” Scherff said. “Sometimes I would tell my wife that she has to pinch me, because I’m playing a kid’s game, and being able to do it as a job is pretty amazing. Now, having kids and being able to see them after games is absolutely wonderful. So I would say it’s a dream come true. And I will be forever grateful to have had that chance.”

Scherff will be inducted into the Hawkeyes Hall of Fame later this month on Friday, August 29th.

Brandon Scherff's NFL Career

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