Iowa Hawkeyes, Kirk Ferentz Receive Shocking Recruiting Ranking

The Iowa Hawkeyes are not necessarily known as an elite recruiting school. Not in a nation that includes behemoths like Ohio State, Texas, Georgia and Oregon.

But perhaps Kirk Ferentz and Co. are a bit better at recruiting than most people think?

Iowa recently earned a fascinating ranking from On 3, which put together a list of the top 25 recruiting classes for 2026. The Hawkeyes came in at 22nd, just behind big-name schools such as Michigan, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Updated On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings‼️📈https://t.co/Omvx50HJgR pic.twitter.com/yddCoIrtW7
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 26, 2025

Considering that Iowa doesn't typically get five-star recruits and frequently has to settle for three-star options, the fact that it received such an impressive ranking here is a testament to the job that Ferentz has done, especially in this new NIL era.

Considering that the Hawkeyes don't quite have the resources of some of the other universities in the Big Ten, many have wondered if the ever-changing modern landscape would push Iowa further and further down the totem pole.

And to be perfectly honest, that appeared to be happening last season, when the Hawkeyes went a disappointing 8-5 and then lost to the Missouri Tigers in the Music City Bowl.

However, Iowa has actually enjoyed a pretty strong offseason, making some compelling additions via the transfer portal (such as quarterback Mark Gronowski) and actually making some headway in terms of recruiting for future seasons.

Can the Hawkeyes actually compete with the Buckeyes and the other in-conference powerhouses? It remains to be seen, but Ferentz is at least giving Iowa a fighting chance.

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