Talented WR Might Join Iowa

The Iowa Hawkeyes are looking to bolster their offensive unit for the upcoming season in the transfer portal. Kirk Ferentz and Co. aim to keep the momentum going after an 8-4 regular season and a ReliaQuest Bowl win.

Iowa extended an offer to Tony Diaz, a breakout wide receiver who played a crucial role in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's inaugural football season. The player announced the news via X.

“Iowa offered!” Diaz wrote.

Iowa offered! pic.twitter.com/caHze7ZRiD
— Tony Diaz (@Tdiqz14) January 2, 2026

The 5-foot-11, 176-pound receiver from San Marcos, Texas, has already drawn significant interest from multiple Power 4 programs despite spending just one season at the FCS level.

Diaz made an immediate impact in his first year at UTRGV, catching 67 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. He earned Phil Steele's Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award for his performance. He was also named to the Southland All-Conference First-Team.

He was named an FCS Freshman All-American by FCS Football Central, Stats Perform, and Phil Steele. The Associated Press honored him with All-American Honorable Mention status. Perhaps most impressively, Diaz finished seventh in the Jerry Rice Award voting, a national award given to the most outstanding FCS freshman football player in the country.

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz is pictured on the sidelines Nov. 8, 2025 before a Big Ten Football game against the Oregon Ducks at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Diaz recorded four games with over 100 receiving yards. His best performance came against Incarnate Word, where he caught 17 receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown, tying the third-most receptions in a single game in Southland Conference history. His 13.1 yards per catch average shows both playmaking ability and an understanding of how to move the chains.

Tony Diaz’s Recruitment

Beyond Iowa's offer, Diaz holds scholarships from Illinois, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Houston, and Cincinnati. He is scheduled to visit Illinois on Jan. 4, suggesting the Illini may be the current frontrunner to land the wide receiver. He is a three-star transfer prospect with three years of eligibility remaining.

The Hawkeyes' passing game struggled significantly throughout the 2025 season, with drops plaguing drives and limiting scoring opportunities. While Reece Vander Zee emerged late in the season as a legitimate deep threat, the wide receiver room beyond him lacks proven production and experience.

Iowa lost key contributors Seth Anderson, Jacob Gill, and Sam Phillips to graduation, leaving Zee as the clear WR1 with limited proven talent behind him.

While aggressively pursuing portal targets like Diaz, Parker Knutson, and other impact players, the Hawkeyes have also signed a talented high school recruiting class that ranked 31st nationally on ESPN.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!