Recruiting Round-Up: Colleges Courting Iowa 2028s

<!-- 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>I recently wrote about recruiting activity for members of Iowa's 2027 Class, which you can read HERE. Today, I dug into the cycle behind it, the high school sophomores.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The in-state 2028s rank among the best classes in recent memory. They're strong at the top and talent runs deep. And, guys keep emerging. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dowling Catholic offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1583613' first='Carter' last='Barrett'] has been at the head of the class since we began ranking it. He started stacking up offers shortly after his freshman season ended and hasn't slowed down. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With opportunities from the likes of Alabama, Iowa, Ole Miss and other high-end Power 4 programs arriving awhile ago, Barrett added offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Northwestern since December, while Iowa State's new coaching staff re-offered. He also was invited to the Under Armour Next Camp in Missouri next month for a second year in a row.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Madrid tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1693550' first='Jevyn' last='Severson'] has been one of the fastest rising recruits, not only in Iowa, but in the region and country. He reported on Feb. 4 that he was up to 24 offers overall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Severson added opportunities from Penn State, Washington State, Purdue, NC State, Houston, SMU, Florida, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina and Maryland since the start of December. He also received an invitation to the Nike Opening.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northwestern, Maryland and Kansas State joined the party with offers for Des Moines Christian offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1687033' first='Declan' last='Heying'] since season's end. Iowa State's new staff re-offered. He'd already reported opportunities from Nebraska, Minnesota and Kansas. He's also been invited to the UA Next combine. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Waverly-Shell Rock receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1596610' first='Jayden' last='Stephens'] had Iowa visit him at school last month before he attended a Hawkeye junior day. He visited Missouri after the season and received an invite to the UA Next combine. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sioux City East receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1650312' first='Isaiah' last='Grant'] reported a new offer from Wisconsin late last month. He claimed offers from Iowa State and Kansas during the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PCM offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1077234' first='Hayden' last='Shannon'] announced he'd been offered by Kansas State during the middle of last month. Iowa State and Nebraska reportedly offered previously. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dowling Catholic offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1286887' first='Evan' last='Mitchell'] visited Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska in November. He played host to the Hawkeyes, Northwestern and Oklahoma at his school last month. He received an invitation to UA Next, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa and Iowa State dropped by Urbandale to watch linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1671624' first='Gabe' last='Blanshan'] work out in recent weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Xavier's [player_tooltip player_id='1924714' first='Carson' last='Mahoney'] visited Iowa during the season. Arizona, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Northern Illinois, Drake, Minnesota and Michigan State reportedly stopped by Regina Catholic to meet with running back [player_tooltip player_id='1605331' first='Gabriel' last='Hegelheimer'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sergeant Bluff-Luton Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1529005' first='Justin' last='Ehlers'] announced he was invited to next month's UA Next combine in Missouri. Fort Dodge offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1924995' first='Brody' last='Maehl'] visited Iowa State in late November and then challenged himself at the Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase during December in Council Bluffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Missouri Baptist jumped in with a scholarship offer for Xavier's [player_tooltip player_id='1699590' first='Austin' last='Dostal'] last month. The defensive end also was invited to the You Are An Athlete camp. Council Bluffs Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1358941' first='Braxton' last='Parks'] was invited to that camp along with summer camps at North Dakota and Dartmouth recently. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Council Bluffs Saint Albert Athlete <br>[player_tooltip player_id='2068755' first='Colt' last='Spencer'] visited Iowa State in late November. Iowa State and South Dakota State visited with quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='980028' first='Cannon' last='Davis'] at Bettendorf. Dartmouth invited him to summer camp. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bondurant-Farrar receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1583617' first='Riley' last='Vanderlinden'] visited Iowa during the season and was back for a Hawkeye junior day last month. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->