Iowa 2026s Searching for College Homes

With the high school recruiting pushed back by the transfer portal, plenty of high school seniors-to-be remain without college homes. It's an important time in the process with programs on the next level diving into film and hosting summer camps to fill out their rosters.   Talented prospects remain in Iowa, that's for sure. Here's a closer look at some of them.    James enjoyed a heck of a junior season. The linebacker racked up 73.0 tackles (46 solo, 11.5 TFL), the second most on the squad. James' <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17732512/673c15dac1359c05ad0af444">11th-grade highlight video</a> reveals a high-motor performer on defense and special teams. The first clip shows him sprinting downfield on kick coverage and blowing up the returner, causing a fumble. James runs well and takes good angles to the ball. He diagnoses plays quickly and then does his job. James might not fit the standard height requirements for some programs at the next level, but dismissing him for that would be a mistake.     Crouch hauled in 34 balls for 576 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last season. His <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18055182/67239d8cba2a5336bd36db7d">11th-grade highlight video</a> shows us how he got the job done. First, he's a matchup problem with his height, long arms and athleticism. Crouch wins contested throws and has a knack for high-pointing the ball. He's more than a big body, however. Crouch offers speed and chews up a lot of real estate with his long legs. He runs clean routes, getting in and out of his breaks quickly and smoothly. Crouch's frame also is an asset when blocking.     It's not easy standing out as a two-way player in Class 5A, but Riley makes key contributions on both sides of the ball. He was the team's second-leading rusher last season, gaining 332 yards and a touchdown on the ground. As a linebacker, he recorded 27.5 tackles (16 solo, 6.5 TFL), 3.0 sacks and a fumble recovery. Riley is an active defensive performer that's quick to diagnose plays and runs well to the ball. He's an intriguing prospect as a ball carrier, which we can witness watching his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17773212/6743c7cbf6497cbd0503c96e">junior highlight video</a>. Riley effectively runs between the tackles or gets outside. He runs hard.     The Wolves benefited greatly by Hansen disrupting opposing offenses last season. He totaled 23.5 tackles (15 solo) with 12.0 stops for loss and 4.5 sacks. Hansen shows us how he takes of business during his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19801551/67997768d254a77443ad2958">junior highlight video</a>. He's an athletic, angular edge with a frame capable of adding mass and strength without losing any quickness. And that's a big part of his game. While his pass-rush moves are developing, he beats a lot of opponents by getting by them before they can square him up.     Pardon is a large individual with agility as he displays during his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18003471/671da033c770cc78ad9dad14">junior highlight video</a>. The first clip shows him pancaking a defender right off of the snap. On the second frame, he is blocking 20 yards down the field. It's a short tape, but he also gives us a glimpse at his potential in pass protection. Programs might prefer Pardon on the outside with his athleticism and feet, but those traits would play up even more on the interior of the O-Line.     Westphal is a high-motor defensive back that can lock down in coverage or stuff the running game. Thirty two of his 37.5 tackles were of the solo variety. He intercepted a pair of passes, returned kicks and caught one pass for 20 yards. All of that speaks to his athleticism, which is abundant on his <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18149207/673e2e494d6c6b59f3c6d007">junior highlight video</a>. Westphal lines up as a deep safety on some plays and at cornerback for others. He breaks well on the pass in coverage and shows good straight-line speed when coming up against the rush.

With the high school recruiting pushed back by the transfer portal, plenty of high school seniors-to-be remain without college homes. It's an important time in the process with programs on the next level diving into film and hosting summer camps to fill out their rosters.