IOWA FOOTBALL

2021 football signing day: Meet the Iowa Hawkeyes' complete recruiting class

Dargan Southard
Hawk Central

Although Iowa assembled the bulk of its 2021 recruiting class during the early signing period, the Hawkeyes had a few finishing touches to add Wednesday as part of the traditional National Signing Day.

With that, here are the recruits Iowa signed for its 2021 class. Prospects with asterisks signed in December. Names are listed in alphabetical order.   

West Branch's Jeff Bowie (62) runs to the sideline during a Class 1A varsity football quarterfinal playoff game, Friday, Nov., 8, 2019, at the Little Rose Bowl in West Branch, Iowa.

*Jeff Bowie

DL: 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, West Branch (West Branch, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: The class' closest recruit in terms of proximity — West Branch High School sits just 13 miles east of Kinnick Stadium — Bowie committed to Iowa on Jan. 25, 2020. He had other offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Indiana and Kansas State. 

Ankeny's Brody Brecht (11) catches a pass during their 4A Iowa high school state championship semi-final game at the UNI-Dome on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Cedar Falls, IA. Ankeny would go on to defeat Dowling Catholic 31-24 in overtime.

*Brody Brecht

WR: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Ankeny (Ankeny, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: The Hawkeyes hope they've found another CIML gem. Brecht committed to Iowa on May 1 in what was a vintage in-state recruiting battle. 

Ankeny's Arland Bruce IV (14) rushes during their class 4A state football championship game on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, in Cedar Falls, IA.

*Arland Bruce IV

WR: 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Ankeny (Olathe, Kansas)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: Bruce made plenty of waves off the field for his transfer to Ankeny. He did the same on the field once eligible. This multi-dimensional All-Iowa Elite Team selection could become an immediate weapon for Iowa.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Connor Colby (77) adjusts his helmet during a Class 4A varsity football game, Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at Kingston Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

*Connor Colby

OL: 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, Cedar Rapids Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: Although Iowa may not have racked up the miles with this recruitment, landing this backyard star furthers cements the Hawkeyes' offensive-line prowess. Colby committed to Iowa over Ohio State, Michigan and others. 

*David Davidkov

OL: 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, New Trier (Glenview, Illinois)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: The son of Bulgarian immigrants, Davidkov committed to Iowa last April. He is one of the highest-ranked recruits in this class, having racked up a slew of Power Five offers that included Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and others. 

OABCIG's Cooper Dejean (1) escapes a tackle on his way to the go-ahead touchdown during their class 1A state football championship game on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, in Cedar Falls.

*Cooper DeJean

DB: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, OABCIG (Odebolt, Iowa) 

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: The state's do-it-all talent, DeJean committed to the Hawkeyes last March before leading OABCIG to a state title this past fall. DeJean's late-game heroics punctuated an incredible high school career.  

*Gennings Dunker

OL: 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Lena-Winslow (Lena, Illinois)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: A prep teammate of Iowa freshman Isaiah Bruce, Dunker looks to give the Hawkeyes another small-town success story. He's been committed to Iowa since June 2019; 

CB Abraham Lincoln's TJ Hayes (29) gets tackled by Urbandale's Jaden Harrell (31) on Friday, Sept. 11th, 2020 during a game at Urbandale High School.

*Jaden Harrell

LB: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, Urbandale (Urbandale, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Iowa hopped in early on another in-state up-and-comer, and it paid off. Harrell is one of the longest-committed prospects in the class, having pledged to Iowa in July 2019.  

North High senior Deavin Hilson stands for a portrait on the field Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020.

Deavin Hilson

RB: 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Des Moines North (Des Moines, Iowa)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Hilson is the star of Wednesday's signing day, having committed to the Hawkeyes last weekend after receiving a late Iowa offer. He is Des Moines North's first Power Five prospect since the 1970s. 

*Keagan Johnson

WR: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Bellevue West (Bellevue, Nebraska)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: While many thought Johnson was a Nebraska lock given his father won two national championships with the Cornhuskers, the 6-foot-1 wide receiver opted to go with Iowa. He was one of 17 prospects to commit to the Hawkeyes last June.

*Joey Labas

QB: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Brecksville-Broadview Heights (Brecksville, Ohio)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts:Iowa flipped Labas from Ball State last summer, giving the Hawkeyes their lone quarterback commit in the class. Iowa was Labas' only Power Five offer.

Bettendorf defensive lineman Griffin Liddle (70) adjusts his mouth guard during a Class 4A varsity football game, Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Trojan Field in Iowa City, Iowa.

*Griffin Liddle

DL: 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, Bettendorf (Bettendorf, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Another key in-state get, Liddle pledged to the Hawkeyes in November 2019. Iowa won out in what was a typical Midwest recruiting battle, with Liddle holding other offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, Michigan State, Army and Nebraska.

Fort Dodge's Sam Daniel, right, meets Urbandale senior Max Llewellyn at center field field for the coin toss prior to kickoff of their game on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, at Urbandale High School.

*Max Llewellyn

DL: 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, Urbandale (Urbandale, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Llewellyn joined Harrell, his high school teammate, in Iowa's 2021 class last April. The pledge was a big recruiting win for Iowa, which held off a bevy of Power Five suitors.   

Michael Myslinski

OL: 6-foot-2, 285 pounds, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville, Florida) 

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: The other prospect signing Wednesday alongside Hilson, Myslinski has been committed to the Hawkeyes since Jan. 23. While Bowie has to travel the least, Myslnski has to travel the farthest among Iowa's 2021 recruits.

*Jeremiah Pittman

DL: 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, St. Viator (Palatine, Illinois)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Iowa landed the Chicago product last May, beating out a slew of quality schools. Pittman held other offers from Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa State, Michigan State, Syracuse and Boston College.  

*Karson Sharar

LB: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Iowa Falls-Alden (Iowa Falls, Iowa)

Rivals: 2 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Sharar flipped from Northern Iowa right before the December signing period. While Sharar may not boast lofty recruiting accolades, he fits the mold of the under-the-radar in-state prospect that's shined for Iowa so many times before.  

Blue Springs senior defensive lineman Beau Stephens (70) kneels over Park Hill quarterback Anthony Hall (10) after sacking him in Friday's Class 6 District 4 game at Peve Stadium.

*Beau Stephens

OL: 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, Blue Springs (Blue Springs, Missouri)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts:Iowa plucked Stephens out of the Kansas City-area last April. The offensive lineman prospect held offers from football powerhouses like Michigan, LSU and Texas A&M, among others.

*Justice Sullivan

LB: 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)

Rivals: 4 stars; 247Sports Composite: 4 stars

Quick facts: Sullivan committed to Iowa alongside Liddle in what was an important recruiting weekend in November 2019. Sullivan held other offers from Nebraska and Minnesota. 

Roland-Story's Zach Twedt poses for a portrait on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 in Story City.

*Zach Twedt

LB: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Roland-Story (Story City, Iowa)

Rivals: 3 stars; 247Sports Composite: 3 stars

Quick facts: Despite featuring familiar names, Twedt's recruitment was an interesting one. The Roland-Story standout flipped from Iowa State to Iowa in November 2019, after the Cyclones' interest waned and the Hawkeyes' intensified.  

Northern Iowa's Xavior Williams (9) loses his helmet as he is tackled by Iowa's Matt Hankins (8) while returning a kickoff during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018.

Xavior Williams

S: 5-foot-11, 192 pounds, Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

Rivals: N/A; 247Sports Composite: N/A

Quick facts: A veteran piece that should immediately bolster Iowa's secondary, Williams picked the Hawkeyes once Northern Iowa's fall season was axed. The graduate transfer has one year of eligibility remaining.   

Dargan Southard covers Iowa and UNI athletics, recruiting and preps for the Des Moines Register, HawkCentral.com and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.