’27 Update: Closer Look at How Rankings Came Together

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code:&nbsp;howe30&nbsp;in the coupon code area</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a pretty involved process, the Iowa <a href="https://prepredzone.com/iowa/rankings/2027-rankings/">Class of 2027 Rankings Update</a> dropped on New Year's Eve. Another look at a talented group before the calendar flips, but certainly not the last time it will be evaluated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keep that in mind when looking down our latest list. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Development is not linear. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also, these rankings are based on the evaluations and information gathered by two people - me and Oscar Galindo. We work hard at it, but we're only two people with opinions, which can differ. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's the front porch of our process. Oscar and I watch a lot of football in various forms. I'm not sure we could watch much more. But that doesn't mean we see it all. Far from it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It certainly helps when people help themselves. It's free to create a profile on here, which puts you on our radar. We research and dig deep to find prospects, but it's impossible for two dudes to find everyone in a talent-rich state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My favorite evaluation opportunity takes place at games. Showcases, 7-on-7 tournaments and film are great, but nothing beats pads popping on a Friday night. I wish there were more of them, but guys that stand out during those scouting sessions gain favor with me, but not so much so that it overrides standout performances in other places. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That brings me to the film component. I try to watch full games when I can, but that's pretty time consuming. Viewing highlight tapes on Hudl or a similar platform allows for more evaluations, which provides more guys exposure here. That's the ultimate goal, helping as many of you as possible. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, put together highlight videos. If you can't compile one for the whole season, post whatever you can. Nothing is more deflating as an evaluator than finding a Hudl page void of video. Obviously, there's nothing to evaluate. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That was a long-winded introduction to why you're all here, though. You want to know how these particular rankings came together. Let's get to it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First, we lost out previous and, perhaps, only No. 1 in the class to date. Norwalk tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1198816' first='Luke' last='Brewer'] (Iowa) reclassified to the 2026 Class during the season. For me, it was pretty seamless moving Grinnell offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1204515' first='Will' last='Slagle'] up one spot to the top. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Slagle was committed to Iowa State, but backed off of that pledge recently when head coach Matt Campbell and O-Line coach Ryan Clanton left the Cyclones for Penn State. The Nittany Lions offered the Tiger junior a scholarship shortly after the ISU staff took over in State College. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Number one certainly wasn't a layup, however. OABCIG's [player_tooltip player_id='1197438' first='Jaxx' last='DeJean'] has a case for it. The new Hawkeye commitment is a long-limbed athlete with a high ceiling that chose Iowa ahead of reported offers from Michigan, Kansas State and others. He is the younger brother of former UI All-American and current Philadelphia Eagle Cooper DeJean. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Truth be told, I believe the first eight guys in our rankings could be placed in a tier, meaning each could end up becoming the best of the group. That's kind of uncommon but speaks to the depth of the group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Third-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='1197458' first='Landon' last='Blum'] looks a lot like [player_tooltip player_id='1197438' first='Jaxx' last='DeJean']. The Woodbine junior's athleticism is pronounced and his frame projectable. He's announced scholarship offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, Maryland, Miami (FL), Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Regina linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='466364' first='Tate' last='Wallace'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1197445' first='Savion' last='Miller'], a running back, check in at four and five, respectively, in this ranking update. They're equally important to a Regal program that reached the Class 1A state championship game this fall. Their combined collection of reported offers includes Miami (FL), Tennessee, Minnesota, Kansas State, Iowa State and Missouri.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A pair of recent Hawkeye linebacker pledges show up at sixth and seventh. Bettendorf's [player_tooltip player_id='1609271' first='Gavin' last='Stecker'] picked Iowa ahead of offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Minnesota, while [player_tooltip player_id='1197483' first='Braylon' last='Bingham'] also held an opportunity from the Cyclones. They're excellent athletes just scratching the surface of what they can become. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boston College, Iowa State, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan State and Florida Atlantic have reportedly offered our No. 8 prospect, Rock Valley offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1393166' first='Nate' last='Brenneman']. The rangy junior with a projectable frame has other programs poking around. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Again, that Top 8 is pretty interchangeable for me. I could see any of them emerging with the most successful future in the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After that octet, the rankings open up. There are guys as far back as the middle of the Top 100 that could move up quite a bit in future updates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kuemper Catholic's [player_tooltip player_id='1694834' first='Reid' last='Steger'] certainly is worthy of the No. 9 ranking with his body of work and an offer from South Dakota State. The same can be said about 10th-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='1198829' first='Kason' last='Clayborne'] (Arizona, Iowa State, Minnesota), No. 11 [player_tooltip player_id='1366537' first='Isaiah' last='Hansen'] (Iowa State), No. 12 [player_tooltip player_id='1204438' first='Joe' last='Vinyard'] (SDSU, UNI, USD) and No. 13 [player_tooltip player_id='1207826' first='Will' last='Clausen'] (Northern Illinois, NDSU). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guys I think could make a jump in future updates include [player_tooltip player_id='1283377' first='Lucas' last='Diehl'], [player_tooltip player_id='1204437' first='Jordon' last='Green'], [player_tooltip player_id='1584432' first='Brayden' last='Hanks'], [player_tooltip player_id='2043381' first='Brendan' last='Meaney'], [player_tooltip player_id='1197463' first='Nolan' last='Kriegel'], [player_tooltip player_id='1204441' first='Preston' last='Mensah'], [player_tooltip player_id='1644899' first='Hunter' last='Bacino'], [player_tooltip player_id='1532913' first='Nick' last='Milburn'], [player_tooltip player_id='1699955' first='Giovanni' last='Wilson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1644914' first='Kyler' last='VanMaanen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1452144' first='Levi' last='Chulu'], to name a few. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Please keep checking the site for more content related to this Class of 2027 rankings update. We'll been rolling out it out in the coming days. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Happy New Year! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->