One half of one of the top tandems in all of 5A alongside recently reclassified tight end and Power 4 prospect Luke Brewer Luke Brewer 6'5" | 220 lbs | TE Norwalk | 2026 State IA , Eli Robbins Eli Robbins 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Norwalk | 2026 State IA may not even be the headliner as part of the Norwalk offense — and still, he leads 5A in receptions. A preferred walk-on commit to Iowa, Robbins finds himself on a list pertaining to a position he won’t play at the next level.

Already written about this week by our Rob Howe, Robbins deserves as much attention as he’s gotten, as one of the most versatile prospects in all of Iowa. Set to play defensive back for the Hawkeyes, the 6-foot, 195-pound athlete has caught 41 passes for 446 yards and five scores to start the season. His cohort, and potential future teammate in Iowa City, Brewer has put up 26 catches for 357 yards and five scores.

I’d watched tape on Robbins the last few seasons and was intrigued by his broad-ranged skill set. That was heightened when he committed to the University of Iowa as a preferred walk-on. Robbins did not disappoint during an in-person scout in Week 5 of the 2025 season at Iowa City High. Robbins immediately stood out as a three-phase contributor and one of the best players on the field. He’s one of those guys that appears to be playing a speed or two faster than the opponent. The Hawkeyes view him as a defensive back, which makes a lot of sense. He delivered eight solo tackles in this one. Robbins gets downhill quickly and packs a punch. A path to success as a Hawkeye safety is easy to envision. A future at receiver isn’t hard to see, either. He caught 11 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown here. He took his lone kick return back 24 yards as well. Robbins is an FBS level recruit with a chance to do damage on the next level no matter where he lines up.

A highly talented all-purpose player for Norwalk, Eli Robbins Eli Robbins 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Norwalk | 2026 State IA has flashed a lot of explosive playmaking ability, and he will be bringing his ball skills to the Hawkeyes following this season. Robbins led the team with 589 receiving yards on 39 catches and 10 touchdowns, while adding 325 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. On defense, Robbins recorded 28.5 tackles (28 solo), and 4 interceptions with 1 returned for a touchdown. Robbins added 362 total return yards on 19 returns. With high-caliber speed (4.48 40 yard time), his opponents dread whenever he gets his hands on the ball, because he will always have the opportunity to break away for the score. Using his quickness, double-moves, and sharp cuts to win in the passing game, Robbins is a dynamic deep threat lining up both in the slot and on the outside, while also flashing material as a ball-hawking Safety. The Hawkeyes got a good one, and it will be exciting to see how they utilize Robbins at the next level.

Eli Robbins Eli Robbins 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Norwalk | 2026 State IA does almost everything for Norwalk, from catching to running to playing in the secondary to passing, Robbins has clearly established himself as one of the best overall athletes in Iowa. Robbins finished last season with 589 yards on 39 catches and 10 touchdowns. He also ran for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Playing both in the slot and as an outside receiver, Robbins is a very agile athlete, showing quick hip movement and seamless flow changing direction on his routes. Robbins’ is dangerous as a deep-threat, and once he’s able to get behind the secondary, there is no way to stop him from making a big play. Robbins is a talented athlete who clearly holds all-purpose value for his team.