Iowa Recruit Earns Immense Prediction for Freshman Season

This incoming Iowa Hawkeyes recruit has landed a massive prediction heading into his freshman season.

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detailed view of Iowa Hawkeyes helmet on the sidelines in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes are not exactly the Ohio State Buckeyes when it comes to recruiting, but they do have some very intriguing newcomers arriving for 2025.

Perhaps the most compelling of them all is defensive end Iose Epenesa, whose older brother, A.J., starred for Iowa from 2017 through 2019 before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

There is considerable hype surrounding Epenesa heading into his debut campaign with the Hawkeyes, and Bleacher Report's Brad Shepard has listed him among a group of potential breakout freshmen for next season.

"Epenesa has a big-time get-up about his game, and he plays with the type of fire you love to see," Shepard wrote. He was also a standout basketball player and track and field athlete in Edwardsville, Illinois, and he is used to winning. He's the No. 42-ranked overall player and the fifth-rated defensive lineman in the nation, and even though [Kirk] Ferentz doesn't give first-year players a ton of starts, it may be too tough to let Epenesa stand over there and watch."

Iowa's defense actually showed some slippage in 2024, and Ferentz is losing top players like Jay Higgins, Jermari Harris and Yahya Black to the NFL Draft.

Given the sudden volatility regarding the Hawkeyes' typically stout defense, it would not be surprising if Ferentz gave Epenesa some run next fall.

After all, Epenesa's elder brother managed to log 15 tackles, six tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks during his freshman year and ended up accumulating 101 tackles and 26.5 sacks throughout his entire tenure at Iowa City.