Former Iowa High School Football QB Joins UFL For 2026

Hunter Dekkers selected by the Houston Gamblers

Dec 21, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Hunter Dekkers (18) during warm ups before the game against the New York Jets at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

A former Iowa high school football standout was selected in the 2026 United Football League draft.

Hunter Dekkers, a graduate of West Sioux High School who played at Iowa State and Iowa Western, was picked by the Houston Gamblers.

Dekkers signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent, joining the practice squad this past season. He started his college career at Iowa State, earning the No. 1 quarterback role before being dismissed due to gambling allegations.

Hunter Dekkers Was Starting QB At Iowa State After Brock Purdy

After leaving Ames, Iowa and the Cyclones, Dekkers landed in Council Bluffs, Iowa to play for Iowa Western, one of the top junior college programs in the country. He led the Reivers to a national championship game appearance in his one season with the team.

Dekkers played football, basketball, track and baseball for West Sioux, setting the Iowa high school football career record for both passing yards (10,628) and touchdowns (126). He held offers from Iowa State, Purdue, Kansas State and Indiana, selecting the Cyclones.

As a true freshman, Dekkers was 5 of 7 for 114 yards and a touchdown, adding a rushing touchdown, in three games. He preserved his redshirt, sitting behind future NFL starter Brock Purdy the following season while completing 20 of 36 for 193 yards with two touchdowns and 61 yards and a TD on the ground.

Dekkers was named the starting quarterback going into his sophomore season with Iowa State where he would complete 302 of 457 passes for 3,044 yards with 19 touchdowns, adding 73 yards and two more scores with his legs.

In his three seasons with the Cyclones, he played in 19 games with 12 starts, going 327-for-500 for 3,355 yards and 22 touchdowns passing with four more scores and 146 more yards rushing.

Former West Sioux Standout Landed At Iowa Western

He sat out the 2023 college football season while seeking reinstatement before joining Iowa Western, leading them to an 11-2 record while going 288 of 449 passing for 3,806 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Dekkers was undrafted but earned an invite to the rookie minicamp for the New Orleans Saints. He was moved to the active roster ahead of the regular season finale, which would have allowed the Saints to sign him to a futures contract in the offseason.

Instead, Dekkers joined the UFL, which was founded in 2023 and is the latest iteration of the XFL and United States Football League. They played games for the first time in March 2024, with games set to air on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX and FS1.

The Houston Gamblers are coached by former college leader Kevin Sumlin and are a league owned team.

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