UConn in Mix for Transfer WR
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The UConn Huskies are building a new program under head coach Jason Candle, who will look for a strong first year in 2026.
Candle is building a new coaching staff and will have many players from his time at Toledo, a few remaining players from UConn, but also some new additions from around college football.
One wide receiver that the Huskies are in the mix for UAB transfer wide receiver Iverson Hooks, according to Pete Nakos of On3.
UConn has a lot of competition for Hooks, who has also received interest from Power 4 schools in Wisconsin, ACC schools in Florida State and Virginia, Big 12 schools in Houston, Iowa State and Oklahoma State, plus SEC schools in Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU.
What Iverson Hooks Would Bring to UConn
Hooks has spent the past four seasons with the Blazers, making 97 catches for 1,225 yards, 12.6 yards per reception, plus 10 touchdowns.
He is coming off his best season so far, with 72 catches for 927 yards, 12.9 yards per reception, and seven touchdowns in 2025 with UAB.
Hooks earned Second Team All-American Conference honors, finishing second in receptions, third in receiving yards and tied for fourth in touchdowns.
He made 11 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-24 home win over Memphis in Week 8, by far the best game of his career.
Hooks also made 10 catches for 146 yards in the 48-18 home loss to USF in Week 13, becoming the first UAB player to have multiple double-digit catch games in a season.
This season was a breakout for Hooks, who redshirted as a true freshman in 2022, suffered a season-ending injury that limited him to three games in 2023, then made 14 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown in 2024.
Hooks has two seasons of eligibility remaining, due to that injury redshirt, and the 5-foot-10 wide out will have his choices for where he'll play in 2026.
WR Outlook for UConn in 2026
UConn lost one of the best wide receivers in the country in Skyler Bell to graduation after this season.
The Biletnikoff Award finalist finished with 101 catches or 1,278 yards, 12.7 yards per reception, and 13 touchdowns in 12 games, with 106.5 receiving yards per contest in the regular season.
Bell led the FBS in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, while his receiving yards per game also ranked second best.
The Huskies also lost their second-leading receiver in Reymello Murphy, who had 40 catches for 455 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, plus Chris Parker, who had just five catches for 108 yards.
UConn does return wide receivers in John Neider, who made 27 catches for 422 yards and two touchdowns, plus Shamar Porter, who made 18 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown, who are both rising redshirt juniors.
Some of the other returning wideouts for the Huskies include rising seniors in Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Griffin Koch, rising redshirt junior Jackson Harper and Teddy Williams, rising junior Rashard Williams, rising redshirt sophomore Terrence Smith, rising redshirt freshmen in Trace Batten, Makih Johnson and Daniel Rose.
UConn also brings on two wide receivers in the Class of 2026 in Zikhere Leaks and Logan Barnes.
