Iowa Quarterbacks Have Plenty to Prove in 2026

Entering the year with a quarterback competition brings a different bit of excitement to the Iowa Hawkeyes football program.

Longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz didn't go to the portal this year as he trusted both Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown.

Both are two very different players, though ESPN isn't necessarily high on either of them.

When compiling a list of every Power 4 quarterback in the country, Iowa's QBs were nearly dead-last which doesn't bode well for their 2026 outlook.

Hecklinski and Brown Ranked No. 65 Out of 68 QBs

Iowa QB Hank Brow — Aug 30, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown (9) leads the offense during the third quarter against the Albany Great Danes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Purdue is the only B1G team with a QB ranked lower, and that is notable as Iowa hosts the Boilermakers on November 14. Should Ryan Browne be as bad as ESPN's Bill Connelly predicts, Iowa should be in good shape for that one.

On the surface, Iowa could be a true College Football Playoff contender by mid-November. Clearly though, Connelly isn't buying it. Now that the playoffs have expanded it's much easier to get in without a top-tier quarterback and that was nearly the case in 2025 with one-year rental Mark Gronowski.

Either way, both Brown and Hecklinski are inexperienced and that plays a big factor in their ranking. It's no surprise seeing the likes of Ohio State's Julian Sayin, USC's Jayden Maiava, or Oregon's Dante Moore near the top. Sayin was ranked No. 2 while Maiava came in at No. 5 and Moore was right behind him at No. 6.

Iowa's QBs Must Step Up

Iowa QB Jeremy Hecklinsk — Aug 9, 2025; Iowa quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski (10) throws during the Hawkeyes Kids Day NCAA football open practice at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Cress for the Des Moines Register | Joseph Cress/For the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's going to be sink or swim for either Brown or Hecklinski as both have plenty of room to grow. Expectations are incredible low to the national media, but Hawkeyes fans are unbelievably high on Hecklinski. Also, one must consider they just brought in Tradon Bessinger who could easily take over as the starter in a year or two.

Regardless, Ferentz and offensive coordinator Tim Lester are confident in what Brown and Hecklinski bring to the table. It's safe to assume Hecklinski will get the starting nod, but things can change on a dime and nothing is a guarantee.

Connelly notes a weaker offensive line and lack of weapons at wide receiver helped push Iowa down this list. Sure, they jumped from 69th to 37th in offensive SP+ last year with just 1,741 passing yards, there are new variables entering 2026 that either man will have to deal with. They addressed their need for new wideouts in the portal, now it's just a matter of who steps up to the plate.

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