Iowa Hawkeyes Land Local 4-star Linebacker Prospect

Iowa landed a major defensive piece on Tuesday, as Class of 2026 linebacker Julian Manson committed to play for the Hawkeyes.

Manson announced his pledge on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption “staying home.”

Staying home‼️ 🏠🐤#committed #AGTG @CoachSWallace @TylerBarnesIOWA @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/CQetZ6DcIH
— Julian (Juju) Manson (@jujumanson1) June 25, 2025

Manson is from Iowa City, where the University of Iowa is located. He is listed at 6-4 and 215 pounds.

On3 has Manson graded as a 4-star prospect, the No. 242 overall recruit in the Class of 2026 and the No. 3 player from Iowa. 247Sports and On3 have Manson graded as a 3-star recruit.

As a junior at Iowa City West High School, Manson registered 87 total tackles. He also played wide receiver, catching 52 passes for 867 yards and 13 touchdowns.

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Manson took an official visit to Iowa on Friday, and just four days later, he’s part of the Hawkeyes’ 2026 class. Before committing to Iowa, Manson officially visited Kansas State and Minnesota in May and June, respectively. He also earned offers from Miami and Arizona.

Manson’s father, Jason Manson, played for the Hawkeyes as a quarterback and wide receiver from 2002-2006. He made one career start for Iowa, helping the Hawkeyes beat Syracuse in double overtime in 2006. He now serves as the director of player development for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa has 12 players committed in its 2026 recruiting class: offensive lineman Carson Nielsen, athlete Marcello Vitti, defensive lineman Hudson Parliament, offensive lineman Owen Linder, offensive lineman Gene Riordan, linebacker Kasen Thomas, offensive lineman Colin Whitters, wide receiver Brody Schaffer, wide receiver Diondre Smith, safety Ronnie Hill, defensive lineman Sawyer Jezierski and Manson.

The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 43 nationally and No. 14 in the Big Ten in 247Sports’ Class of 2026 team recruiting rankings.