Recruiting Roundup: Early Signing Period Approaching

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   The early signing period for college football is approaching fast. Student-athletes can sign financial aid agreements with NCAA institutions during the Dec. 3-5 window. Gone are national letters of intent (NLI), replaced by NIL.   Many of the top players in our Class of 2026 Prep Redzone Iowa rankings, which will be updated in the coming weeks, know where they will be going. You can check where <a href="https://prepredzone.com/iowa/rankings/2026-rankings/">HERE</a>. Please let us know if we missed anyone.   With us reaching this point in the process, it's probably a good time to roll out a recruiting roundup. We'll try to have these more regularly throughout the offseason as we hit different stages along the trail, like junior days, spring football, etc.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   -Our top-ranked student-athlete in the senior class, [player_tooltip player_id='283946' first='Jayden' last='McGregory'] <a href="https://x.com/Jay_McGregory/status/1991235284986429928?s=20">flipped his commitment</a> last week from Louisville to Missouri after being pledged to the Cardinals since July 7. The versatile, 6-foot-2, 195-pound athlete helped West Des Moines Valley reach the state semifinals the last three seasons after spending his freshman year at Des Moines North.   McGregory will be closer to home, competing in the SEC instead of the ACC, where Louisville resides. He'll give the Mizzou coaches the assignment of figuring out his position.   As a senior for a 9-3 state semifinalist, McGregory caught 56 balls for 765 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, he totaled 15.5 tackles (10 solo, 1.0 TFL) and an interception. He averaged 40.3 yards on three kick returns, and threw for a score.   During the recruiting process, McGregory reported scholarship offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin.   -Norwalk tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1198816' first='Luke' last='Brewer'], our top-ranked player in 2027, reclassified to 2026 during the season. That move will be reflected in our new rankings when they're released in the coming weeks. The mystery of his intense recruitment is over, however.   Brewer announced his commitment to childhood favorite Iowa earlier this month. He chose the Hawkeyes ahead of a who's who list of reported scholarship offers, including Georgia, Miami (FL), Iowa State, Tennessee, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford and Wisconsin.   I saw Brewer in action at City High this season and, wow, the potential is off the charts. He runs very well at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. It makes sense that colleges like those talents at tight end, but he could also develop into a dominant defensive end, if given a chance at that position.   Brewer caught 39 passes for 532 yards and six touchdowns this season. He registered 63.5 tackles (56 solo, 8.0 TFL) and a sack competing in the state's largest classification.   -The guy who likely will replace Brewer as Prep Redzone Iowa's top 2027 prospect, Grinnell offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1204515' first='Will' last='Slagle'], announced his commitment at an Iowa State tailgate before the Cyclones took on Kansas Saturday in Ames. Guess where he's going?   Slagle (6-4, 305) certainly is worthy of the top spot in our updated rankings, due out soon. He also reports scholarship offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Stanford and Wisconsin.   The Cyclones are getting a bruiser that can pave the way in the run game but also is athletic and agile enough to get the job done in pass protection. A farmer, Slagle fits in Ames on multiple levels and is poised to impact the action on the next level.   -[player_tooltip player_id='850243' first='Brayton' last='Alford'] is seeing his recruitment tick up, finally and deservedly so. The Kuemper Catholic senior picked up an Iowa State offer on Oct. 25 during a campus visit. Boise State followed suit when he was in Idaho this past weekend. In between those dates, Kansas State offered him a preferred walk-on opportunity.   Alford is a versatile athlete that helped the Knights win the Class 2A state title last week. He caught 51 passes for 714 yards and seven touchdowns, and rushed for a pair of scores. He piled up 86.0 tackles (54 solo, 6.5 TFL), 3.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and six interceptions, including a Pick-6.   I think Alford could be a dynamite hybrid DB-LB at the next level, capable of running with receivers in coverage and clamping down in run support. The speed, quick-twitch traits and explosion give him a sizable ceiling.   -[player_tooltip player_id='1234337' first='Mason' last='Goering'] came off the board earlier this month. The Iowa City West senior <a href="https://x.com/Mas_goering/status/1986453500545335372?s=20">announced his commitment to Drake</a>.   Goering is packed with potential and is just scratching the surface of his abilities. The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder probably lost some recruiting momentum when he missed his junior football season with injury, but the athleticism that helps him also compete in basketball and track at a high level means the Bulldogs did very well in securing his pledge.   -[player_tooltip player_id='2043381' first='Brendan' last='Meaney'] is a rising prospect in the 2027 Class. I'm looking forward to getting a look at his junior film.   The Janesville (IA) High offensive lineman has landed scholarship offers from South Dakota and Northern Illinois this fall. Meany recently visited Northwestern after stops this season at Northern Iowa (multiple times), Iowa State, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Missouri. He's scheduled to be at Minnesota this week for its matchup with Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan's Axe.   Meaney's brother, Gabe Meaney, is a freshman offensive lineman at Northern Iowa.   -One of the Meaneys' teammates with the Janesville Wildcats, [player_tooltip player_id='1358226' first='Logan' last='Lashbrook'], is among the top seniors still searching for a college home. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end/defensive lineman visited Iowa in October. He's reported a game invitation from Northern Iowa, and camp invites from Iowa State and Northwestern.   Valley receiver [player_tooltip player_id='283945' first='Jayden' last='Brown'] also hasn't announced his commitment. He's reported scholarship offers this year from North Dakota State, South Dakota State, South Dakota, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, Western Illinois and Illinois State.   Southeast Polk lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1221954' first='Cael' last='Roberts'] (6-4, 290) has not announced a commitment. The offensive lineman has reported scholarship offers from Northern Iowa and Grand View. Iowa State, South Dakota State and South Dakota are among the programs that have shown interest.   -'27 West Lyon lineman Jerrence Knoblock picked up an Iowa State offer while visiting the Ames campus on Nov. 4. The junior also visited Iowa recently as he's seen his stock rise. He helped the Wildcats win the Class 1A state championship last week in Cedar Falls.   -Pleasantville's [player_tooltip player_id='1197483' first='Braylon' last='Bingham'] might be the fastest rising prospect in Iowa's 2027 Class. The multi-sport standout announced an Iowa State scholarship offer in June. The Hawkeyes jumped in with an offer on Nov. 9. He visited Northwestern for its game against Minnesota this past weekend at Wrigley Field.   Bingham led the Trojans to the Class 1A state quarterfinals playing quarterback and safety. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder flashed a skill set that could work at multiple positions down the road, but a safety-linebacker hybrid makes a lot of sense.   -As for the fastest-rising prospect in Iowa's 2028 Class, that's Madrid tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1693550' first='Jevyn' last='Severson']. He landed his ninth Division I offer on Nov. 15, when Missouri stepped up during a game-day visit to Columbia. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound sophomore also reported opportunities from Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Wisconsin.   This fall, he caught 23 passes of the team's 56 completed passes for 407 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, he produced 39.5 tackles (25 solo, 7.5 TFL), 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery.

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