Three-Star Offensive Tackle Places Iowa in Top 6

The Class of 2027 is beginning to heat up as the Iowa Hawkeyes are once again in the running for a key recruit.

Three-star offensive tackle Mason Halliman stands 6'5'' 280-pounds. He currently plays for Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, IL.

247Sports lists him as a Top 50 OT in the nation and he's a Top 20 player in Illinois. As of February 16, he placed Iowa in his Top 6.

Iowa is joined by Ole Miss, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Thankfully, the Hawkeyes are continuing to make waves as they set an official visit for June 5.

Iowa Continues to Compete for Mason Halliman

Extremely blessed and thankful to God, Family and coaches.@CoachBarnett_OL @EDGYTIM @RyanClanton @AllenTrieu @Coach_BMiller @GregSmithRivals @TomLoy247 @CoachMateos @coachjharding @CoachGarrisonOL @LWEastFootball pic.twitter.com/mbg9VYh4Nb
— Mason halliman (@Masonhalliman08) February 17, 2026

The Hawkeyes set a June 5, 2026, visit with Halliman for this summer. Spring camp will soon begin but Iowa doesn't expect Halliman to come to campus anytime soon. Knowing this battle will likely go on for another few months, it's clear they're in no immediate rush to bring him to Iowa City.

Iowa having to compete against Illinois is a bit alarming seeing as that's Halliman's home team. That doesn't always mean they have the advantage, but sometimes all it takes is the home state to be in the mix for things to wrap up rather quickly.

In this case, Iowa seems to be in a good position. They were the third team to extend an offer to Halliman with neither of the first two (Toledo and Iowa State) making it in his Top 6. To no surprise, the Fighting Illini were the next closest team to offer but their offer on May 20 came months after Iowa extended one on March 8.

Junior Day Helped Win Over Halliman

Highly sought after Class of 2027 OL Mason Halliman enjoys Iowa junior day https://t.co/fNm8c5RKpR @Masonhalliman08 @HawkeyeReport https://t.co/fNm8c5RKpR
— Blair Sanderson (@BlairASanderson) February 1, 2026

At the beginning of February Iowa hosted Junior Day which helped set up the June visit and was a clear deciding factor in Halliman keeping the Hawkeyes in his Top 6.

One thing to keep in mind is Penn State, who is also in the Top 6, didn't offer until January 30, 2026. The competition is fierce to land Halliman, but Iowa holds a key advantage as they've been in the mix for nearly a year longer than a team like the Nittany Lions.

At this point in time there's no clear indication as to which team Halliman is favoring. It's safe to assume Iowa is a strong contender as they're the lone team to set a visit so far, but that doesn't mean someone else can't make a move at the last minute.

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