Tradon Bessinger is now traveling to AWAY GAMES (4 star & 11th OVERALL ranked QB in the 2026 class)

Franisdaman · Friday at 8:35 PM

How far away is the 6'5" TRUE FRESHMAN from being named QB1?

The 2027 season?

The 2028 season?

Tradon Bessinger - Iowa Hawkeyes - Quarterback

Tradon Bessinger is a Quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes. A former 4-star 2026 recruit. View stats, bio, NIL valuation, offers and news on On3.

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Tradon Bessinger - Football 2026-27

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Ripcord · Saturday at 8:32 AM

My best guess, as stated in a different thread, is that he is very much in the mix for QB1 going into 2027. but thatis only a guess.

We all know that the backup QB is always the most popular guy on campus. but you know that things are dire when the 4th-string QB is the most popular guy on campus, and that is about where we are nowadays. Pretty sad commentary on KF's coaching.

DuddyB · Saturday at 8:55 AM

Ripcord said:
My best guess, as stated in a different thread, is that he is very much in the mix for QB1 going into 2027. but thatis only a guess.

We all know that the backup QB is always the most popular guy on campus. but you know that things are dire when the 4th-string QB is the most popular guy on campus, and that is about where we are nowadays. Pretty sad commentary on KF's coaching.

Go back and watch his Kids Day film. He still needs alot of work.

WeBeHerkin · Saturday at 6:55 PM

He wasn’t on sideline today that I saw. Did not see him with the other QBs all day.

Franisdaman · Saturday at 7:06 PM

WeBeHerkin said:
He wasn’t on sideline today that I saw. Did not see him with the other QBs all day.

Tradon was there

WeBeHerkin · Sunday at 10:35 AM

Franisdaman said:
Tradon was there

He was not out warming up as normal. Saw him every game but this one warming up with all the QBs. Never saw him throw a ball and never saw him

Franisdaman · Sunday at 9:46 PM

WeBeHerkin said:
He was not out warming up as normal. Saw him every game but this one warming up with all the QBs. Never saw him throw a ball and never saw him

I saw him on TV, on the sidelines.

Hurricane88 · Sunday at 9:50 PM

DuddyB said:
Go back and watch his Kids Day film. He still needs alot of work.

We as fans need to stop talking about gameplay after a Kid's Day game. He enrolled a little later than some do. Didn't get the full preparation. I would like to see him get some real game film before the end of this season.

DuddyB · Sunday at 10:07 PM

Hurricane88 said:
We as fans need to stop talking about gameplay after a Kid's Day game. He enrolled a little later than some do. Didn't get the full preparation. I would like to see him get some real game film before the end of this season.

So it’s better to go off of his high school film? Lol

I think in general fans need to temper their enthusiasm here.

and I’d be shocked if he gets any snaps in a game this year. Sullivan barely has seen the field.

Hurricane88 · Sunday at 10:12 PM

DuddyB said:
So it’s better to go off of his high school film? Lol

I think in general fans need to temper their enthusiasm here.

and I’d be shocked if he gets any snaps in a game this year. Sullivan barely has seen the field.

No, there is simply nothing of substance to gauge anything off of. The Kid's Day film (in my mind) is irrelevant for him. Especially considering he is a freshman who didn't enroll early to get extra time to learn the system. That's really the only reason I hope to see him get some snaps. I agree with you on the fact that is unlikely to happen. But, you never know.

Rifler · Monday at 9:42 AM

Over the years I've learned to not be overly impressed with the supposed talents of any Iowa quarterback recruit,.. No matter how good they're supposed to be, they're never quite ready.

WeBeHerkin · Monday at 1:34 PM

Franisdaman said:
I saw him on TV, on the sidelines.

Weird man, weird because every other game all the QBs warm up pregame and after half and he wasn't there last Saturday with them. Fitzy, Sully, Heck, Brown all there. Not #4.

WeBeHerkin · Monday at 1:36 PM

At least Heck put on a great tape in that Washington game. If he never sees the field here again, someone will pick him up.

HawksRule25 · 2026-11-04T12:25:41-0600

HawksRule73 · 2026-11-04T12:34:46-0600

My guess is that Bessinger won't really be in the mix for QB1 until 2028. For 2027, I assume Heck will leave, which will leave Sullivan and Bessninger to battle for the #2 job behind Hank.

squeezebox_1 · 2026-11-04T12:36:09-0600

Kid has an NFL caliber arm, but we've been here before. Deacon Hill had an absolute cannon, Jake Christensen had a great arm as well. Finding that touch, and accuracy while running the offense is his next step.

BunchofAholes · 2026-11-04T13:29:28-0600

HawksRule73 said:
My guess is that Bessinger won't really be in the mix for QB1 until 2028. For 2027, I assume Heck will leave, which will leave Sullivan and Bessninger to battle for the #2 job behind Hank.

If Bessinger isn't in the mix for 2027, he may not be around for 2028

WeBeHerkin · 2026-11-04T13:48:13-0600

BunchofAholes said:
If Bessinger isn't in the mix for 2027, he may not be around for 2028

If he is a backup and is getting paid I am sure he will.

Ripcord · 2026-11-04T14:11:46-0600

I think I posted on a different thread recentl that maybe it will be a 3-way QB competition in the spring of 2027: Hank, Sullivan, and Bessinger. I suppose it depends on how well Hank performs over the last 4 games and our bowl game.

BunchofAholes · 2026-11-04T16:41:14-0600

WeBeHerkin said:
If he is a backup and is getting paid I am sure he will.

Not if he can be a starter and get paid elsewhere

WeBeHerkin · 2026-11-04T16:42:19-0600

BunchofAholes said:
Not if he can be a starter and get paid elsewhere

Who is paying big coin to someone on the bench to go be their starter that would be desirable?

Hurricane88 · 2026-11-04T16:48:05-0600

WeBeHerkin said:
Who is paying big coin to someone on the bench to go be their starter that would be desirable?

This is very true. Whenever you see players transfer out for more playing time they usually take a downward move instead of an upward move or even a lateral move.

BunchofAholes · 2026-11-04T16:55:06-0600

WeBeHerkin said:
Who is paying big coin to someone on the bench to go be their starter that would be desirable?

Dunno. But it's a possibility. You never know. Some guys don't like to sit on the bench.

That said, He'd still have a chance to be a 3 year starter here.

As for the "big coin", there are plenty of places that could match or outbid what he's getting at Iowa if they wanted.

WeBeHerkin · 2026-11-04T16:56:12-0600

BunchofAholes said:
Dunno. But it's a possibility. You never know. Some guys don't like to sit on the bench.

That said, He'd still have a chance to be a 3 year starter here.

I suppose if someone like Louisville came calling maybe he would jump.

WeBeHerkin · 2026-11-04T16:56:59-0600

I bet Ohio State wishes they paid Kienholz to stay as backup

DuddyB · 2026-11-04T17:03:06-0600

WeBeHerkin said:
I suppose if someone like Louisville came calling maybe he would jump.

People keep acting like he was some 5 star prospect with a “who’s/who” offer list. He was headed to Boise State before Iowa jumped in with his other best offers being BYU, Minnesota and UCLA.

Not a bad offer list but something most programs would not be clamoring for sloppy seconds over particularly if he gets beat out at Iowa.

if he leaves, it’ll be to a lesser program for playing t

Hurricane88 · 2026-11-05T00:52:44-0600

An update from the QB coach, Billy Vandemerkt. This is what he had to say about Tradon Bessinger.

-- Bessinger is getting a ton of reps on the scout field right now. They have also given him some competitive situational scenarios that have helped him continue to grow. With Iowa being a developmental program, Iowa wants to make sure that they are actually playing football during these sort of times and not just standing on the sideline.

"You get the size factor with Tradon. We talked about, in the summertime, him having some raw ability, and he's displaying that. Now, the mind is slowing down a little bit for him, and you can see his body starting to catch up to his mind a little bit. When it all comes together, that's when you've got something special. He's a long ways from that and he knows that. So he's been doing a heck of a job of taking it day by day and putting good reps on the field when they come to him."

The Big Z · 2026-11-05T08:09:06-0600

WeBeHerkin said:
Who is paying big coin to someone on the bench to go be their starter that would be desirable?

Especially an Iowa backup.

Tradon Bessinger is now traveling to AWAY GAMES (4 star & 11th OVERALL ranked QB in the 2026 class)

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