Ohio State transfer DB Cody Haddad commits to Iowa

Ohio State transfer defensive back Cody Haddad has committed to play for Iowa in the 2026 season, On3 has learned. He played one season with the Buckeyes, taking a redshirt in 2025, and will have all four years of eligibility remaining.

Haddad played high school football at St. Ignatius in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was a three-star prospect in the 2025 class. He ranked as the No. 543 overall player and No. 46 safety in the cycle according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

As a transfer, Haddad ranks as the No. 75 safety to enter the portal so far this offseason according to On3. He is the 15th overall player and the fourth safety that Iowa has added through the transfer portal.

Iowa is coming off of a 9-4 finish this past season and once again was one of the top defenses in the country. The Hawkeyes ranked No. 8 in the FBS in points allowed per game (16.1) and ranked seventh in the Big Ten with 11 interceptions on the season.

The transfer portal opened on Jan. 2 and officially closed Jan. 16, so the deadline for players to enter their names has already passed. Iowa managed to limit it’s transfer portal losses to only eight players, which is tied with Indiana for the fewest in the Big Ten.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Iowa flips North Dakota DL transfer Emanuel Olagbaju from UConn commitment

North Dakota transfer defensive tackle Emmanuel Olagbaju has flipped his commitment from UConn to Iowa, according to On3’s Pete Nakos and Steve Wiltfong. He’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining with the Hawkeyes.

Olagbaju previously committed to the Huskies on Jan. 12. However, he did not sign any official paperwork and opted for Iowa over interest from Kent State, North Texas, Temple and UTEP.

Olagbaju’s flip comes on Friday, the final day of the two-week transfer portal window that opened Jan. 2nd. The 6-foot-3 and 295-pound Olagbaju had 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 14 games this past season as a redshirt sophomore with the Fighting Hawks.

Prior to landing at North Dakota, Olagbaju spent two years at St. Thomas, which made the move to a Division I FCS program in 2021 and plays in the Pioneer League. As a true freshman, Olagbaju managed two tackles in two games in 2023 and appeared poised to start in 2024 before a season-ending injury in Week 2 ended his redshirt freshman season early.

On3’s Alex Byington contributed to this report.