Conor Colby Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Cedar Rapids Kennedy offensive lineman Connor Colby is part of Iowa's 2021 recruiting class. 

 Photo By Rob Howe

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowa Football expected to sign 17 verbal commitments to national letters of intent when the early signing period kicked off Wednesday. Ten of those Class of 2021 student-athletes were on in-state high school rosters this fall.

The Hawkeyes addressed needs at offensive line and receiver with seven players in the group projected to play those positions. As of Tuesday morning, Rivals ranked the Iowa group 25th nationally, while 247Sports rated it No. 21. 

Here's a closer look at the newest Hawkeyes: 

GENNINGS DUNKER

Position: Offensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-5, 290

School: Lena (IL) Lena-Winslow High

Other Scholarship Offers: None (early commitment)

Verbal Commitment Date: June 2, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Seth Wallace 

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 18 overall in Illinois 

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 14 in Illinois, No. 27 guard nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

CONNOR COLBY 

Position: Offensive Line

Height, Weight: 6-5, 305

School: Cedar Rapids (IA) Kennedy High

Other Scholarship Offers: Iowa State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Virginia Tech. 

Verbal Commitment Date: June 21, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Reese Morgan, Tim Polasek 

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Four-star, No. 4 overall in Iowa, No. 29 OT nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 2 in Iowa, No. 10 G nationally, No. 143 overall nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

JADEN HARRELL

Position: Linebacker 

Height, Weight: 6-2, 220

School: Urbandale (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Nebraska

Verbal Commitment Date: July 28, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Jay Niemann, Seth Wallace

Why Iowa?:  STORY 

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 10 overall in Iowa, No. 22 ILB nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 14 in Iowa, No. 29 ILB nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

GRIFFIN LIDDLE 

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height, Weight: 6-3, 275

School: Bettendorf (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Army, Iowa State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska

Verbal Commitment Date: Nov. 24, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Reese Morgan 

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 15 overall in Iowa, No. 35 DT nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 9 in Iowa, No. 34 DT nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

JUSTICE SULLIVAN  

Position: Defensive End 

Height, Weight: 6-2, 225

School: Eden Prairie (MN) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Minnesota, Nebraska

Verbal Commitment Date: Nov. 24, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Tim Polasek  

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Four-star, No. 2 overall in Minnesota, No. 16 ILB nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 6 in Minnesota, No. 21 WDE nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

ZACH TWEDT

Position: Athlete 

Height, Weight: 6-3, 225

School: Story City (IA) Roland-Story High

Other Scholarship Offers: Iowa State 

Verbal Commitment Date: Nov. 30, 2019

Lead Recruiter: Jay Niemann, Seth Wallace   

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 12 overall in Iowa, No. 22 ATH nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 13 in Iowa, No. 50 ATH nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

JEFF BOWIE 

Position: Defensive Line  

Height, Weight: 6-5, 245

School: West Branch (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech  

Verbal Commitment Date: Jan. 25, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Kelvin Bell, Brian Ferentz  

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 14 overall in Iowa, No. 48 SDE nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 12 in Iowa, No. 41 SDE nationally 

Signing Day Video Highlights

COOPER DeJEAN 

Position: Athlete   

Height, Weight: 6-2, 195

School: Ida Grove (IA) OABCIG High

Other Scholarship Offers: Illinois State, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State  

Verbal Commitment Date: March 17, 2020

Lead Recruiter: LeVar Woods   

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 7 overall in Iowa, No. 16 ATH nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 3 in Iowa, No. 8 S nationally, No. 146 overall nationally  

Signing Day Video Highlights

MAX LLEWELLYN 

Position: Defensive End    

Height, Weight: 6-5, 230

School: Urbandale (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Illinois State, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami (OH), Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Western Michigan 

Verbal Commitment Date: April 22, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Jay Niemann   

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 8 overall in Iowa, No. 25 WDE nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 5 in Iowa, No. 20 SDE nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

BEAU STEPHENS  

Position: Offensive Line    

Height, Weight: 6-6, 305

School: Blue Springs (MO) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Louisville, Michigan, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, West Virginia 

Verbal Commitment Date: April 23, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Kelton Copeland    

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Four-star, No. 3 overall in Missouri, No. 24 OT nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 5 in Missouri, No. 36 OT nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

DAVID DAVIDKOV 

Position: Offensive Line    

Height, Weight: 6-6, 290

School: Winnetka (MO) New Trier High

Other Scholarship Offers: Boston College, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Syracuse, Western Michigan, Wisconsin

Verbal Commitment Date: April 27, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Seth Wallace   

Why Iowa?: STORY 

Rivals Ranking: Four-star, No. 2 overall in Illinois, No. 21 OT nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 1 in Illinois, No. 8 OT nationally, No. 61 overall nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

ARLAND BRUCE IV 

Position: Receiver     

Height, Weight: 5-10, 195

School: Ankeny (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Iowa State, Tulsa, Western Illinois 

Verbal Commitment Date: April 28, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Kelton Copeland   

Why Iowa?: STORY 

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 5 overall in Iowa, No. 11 ATH nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 8 in Kansas, No. 31 ATH nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

BRODY BRECHT  

Position: Receiver     

Height, Weight: 6-4, 200

School: Ankeny (IA) High

Other Scholarship Offers: Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska  

Verbal Commitment Date: May 1, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Kelton Copeland, Jay Niemann   

Why Iowa?: STORY 

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 11 overall in Iowa, No. 89 WR nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 11 in Iowa, No. 111 WR nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

KEAGAN JOHNSON

Position: Receiver     

Height, Weight: 6-1, 190

School: Bellevue (NE) West High

Other Scholarship Offers: Iowa State, Kansas State, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State, Wyoming  

Verbal Commitment Date: May 6, 2020

Lead Recruiter: LeVar Woods    

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Four-star, No. 3 overall in Nebraska, No. 52 WR nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 2 in Nebraska, No. 22 ATH nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

JEREMIAH PITTMAN

Position: Defensive Lineman     

Height, Weight: 6-2, 260

School: Arlington Heights (IL) St. Viator High

Other Scholarship Offers: Boston College, Bowling Green, Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Texas Tech, Toledo, Wisconsin 

Verbal Commitment Date: May 18, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Seth Wallace    

Why Iowa?: STORY

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 19 overall in Illinois, No. 52 SDE nationally  

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 19 in Illinois, No. 44 DT nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

JOEY LABAS

Position: Quarterback     

Height, Weight: 6-3, 190

School: Broadview Heights (OH) Brecksville-Broadview Heights High

Other Scholarship Offers: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, Kent State, UMass, Miami (OH), Ohio, Western Michigan

Verbal Commitment Date: June 10, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Ken O'Keefe   

Why Iowa?: STORY 

Rivals Ranking: Three-star, No. 41 overall in Ohio, No. 30 Pro-Style QB nationally  

247 Ranking: Four-star, No. 13 in Ohio, No. 13 Dual-Threat QB nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights

KARSON SHARAR

Position: Linebacker    

Height, Weight: 6-3, 205

School: Iowa Falls (IA) Iowa Falls-Alden High

Other Scholarship Offers: Northern Iowa, South Dakota State

Verbal Commitment Date: Dec. 11, 2020

Lead Recruiter: Seth Wallace, Jay Niemann 

Why Iowa?: STORY  

Rivals Ranking: Two-star

247 Ranking: Three-star, No. 26 in Iowa, No. 170 ATH nationally

Signing Day Video Highlights