Impressive walk-on class joining the Hawkeyes

The Hawkeyes are not only adding a great group of scholarship recruits and transfers this year, but also an impressive class of walk-ons. In this update, we take a closer look at each of the preferred walk-ons heading to Iowa in 2023 and much more.

Starting off with a JUCO All-American, defensive end Jackson Filer had a number of full ride offers, but decided to join the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on instead. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, whose father Rodney Filer played fullback at Iowa in the 90s, enrolled at Iowa at semester in January. Named NJCAA defensive player of the year in 2022, Filer racked up 56 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 15.5 sacks for national champion Iowa Western last season. He chose the preferred walk-on opportunity at Iowa over offers from Coastal Carolina, Toledo, Louisiana Tech, Hawaii, Charlotte, UAB, and Ball State, among others.

Making the move up from the NAIA level, Dordt University tight end Hayden Large transferred to Iowa this semester as a preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Michigan native posted career numbers of 62 catches for 950 yards and 12 touchdowns at Dordt. Large joins the Hawkeyes with two years of eligibility remaining.

A Big Ten transfer, wide receiver Austin Kutscher also joined the Hawkeyes this semester as a preferred walk-on. A Massillon, OH native, Kutscher walked on at Ohio State in 2018 and played in three games in his college career with the Buckeyes. In high school, he caught 93 passes for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns at Massillon Washington in 2018. Coming in, Kutscher has one year of eligibility remaining.

Cedar Rapids Washington safety Watts McBride joined the Hawkeyes as an early enrollee this semester as a preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound McBride drew scholarship offers from Nebraska, Army, and South Dakota early on in the recruiting process, but waited it out and found the right fit at Iowa, citing their success with walk-ons at defensive back. As a senior, McBride finished the season with 48 tackles and 5.5 TFL on defense and 592 yards rushing, 163 yards receiving, and 12 touchdowns on offense.

West Des Moines Valley wide receiver Ayden Price is walking on at Iowa. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound Price chose a preferred walk-on opportunity at Iowa over scholarship offers from Army, Air Force, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, and Dartmouth, among others. As a senior, Price led Valley to the Class 5A state championship game, finishing runner-up to Southeast Polk. On the season, he had 67 catches for 685 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. A versatile playmaker, he also had 33 carries for 274 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and 199 return yards on special teams.

Durant linebacker Nolan DeLong is another in-state prospect that turned down scholarship offers to join the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound DeLong had a full ride from South Dakota and an offer from UNI, but the opportunity to play at Iowa was too good to pass up. A dominant player on both sides of the ball for Durant in Class 1A, DeLong finished his senior season with 250 carries for 2,111 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense along with 66 tackles and 14 tackles for loss on defense.

Cedar Rapids Xavier wide receiver Aidan McDermott will be joining the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on this summer. A first team all-state selection on both sides of the ball this past season, he finished his senior year with 24 tackles and five interceptions on defense and 45 catches for 804 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound McDermott chose the preferred walk-on opportunity at Iowa over scholarship offers from South Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

A one-time Northern Illinois commit on scholarship, Dowling tight end Jalyn Thompson decided to join the Hawkeyes as a walk-on instead. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound West Des Moines native is the son of former Iowa basketball player Rod Thompson and held offers from Howard and Northern Iowa as well. As a senior, Thompson had 22 catches for 305 yards at Dowling.

Chicago wide receiver Judah Mallette is coming in as a preferred walk-on for the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Mallette had an impressive senior season at Hope Academy with 64 catches for 1,525 yards and 19 touchdowns, earning first-team all-state honors in Class 1A. He chose Iowa over Illinois with preferred walk-on opportunities available at both Big Ten schools.

Also coming in at wide receiver as a preferred walk-on this year is CJ Leonard from Kansas. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Leonard chose the Hawkeyes over interest from Kansas and Kansas State. As a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, he had 40 catches for 607 yards and seven touchdowns.

In-state defensive lineman Ryan Kuennen is also headed to Iowa as a preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder from West Des Moines Valley also had interest from Iowa State, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota State. As a senior, he finished the season with 35 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks for Valley.

Waukee Northwest offensive lineman Cael Winter is joining the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Winter, who is also a standout in wrestling and track, chose Iowa over Division II scholarship offers from Winona State and Pittsburg State. As a senior, Winter led Northwest on both sides of the ball, finishing with 21 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks on defense.

At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Luke Pollack is coming in as a walk-on with the versatility to play wide receiver or tight end in college. An Illinois native, Pollack also had interest from Northern Illinois, Drake, and Butler, among others. As a senior, he finished the season with 800 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns for Deerfield High School.

In-state linebacker Jack Laughlin is joining the Hawkeyes as a preferred walk-on this year. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Carlisle native also had preferred walk-on opportunities from TCU and Tulane, among others. As a senior, he was a standout on both sides of the ball for Carlisle, finishing the season with 55.5 tackles and 7.5 TFL on defense along with 1,448 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns on offense in 2022.

Pleasant Valley fullback Rusty VanWetzinga IV was headed to Southern Illinois on scholarship, but decided at the last minute that the opportunity to play for the Hawkeyes was too good to pass up. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound VanWetzinga also had offers from Army, Navy, Charlotte, Western Illinois, and Northwest Missouri State, among others. A standout on both sides of the ball for Pleasant Valley, VanWetzinga finished his senior season with 262 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on offense and 58 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and one interception on defense in 2022.

A Hawkeye legacy recruit, Texas cornerback Amare Bickham accepted a preferred walk-on opportunity from Iowa shortly after the coaching staff extended one. The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder is the son of Lloyd Bickham, who played defensive line at Iowa in the mid-90s under head coach Hayden Fry. In his first year of playing defensive back at Fulshear High School as a senior, Bickham had 13 pass breakups and two interceptions in 2022, earning first-team all-district honors.

Last, but not least, quarterback Tommy Poholsky, the son of former Hawkeye Tom Poholsky who tragically passed away in October of 2021, is joining the team as a preferred walk-on in 2023. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Poholsky is truly following in his father’s footsteps as Tom played quarterback for Hayden Fry from 1985-89. As a senior this past season, Poholsky threw for 2,622 yards and 37 touchdowns for Evergreen High School in Colorado. Along with Iowa, he also considered DePauw, CSU-Pueblo, and Denison, among others.

Class of 2023 Walk-Ons for the Hawkeyes

Jackson Filer – 6-foot-3, 230-pound DE from Iowa Western Community College

Hayden Large – 6-foot-4, 240-pound TE transfer from Dordt University

Austin Kutscher – 6-foot-0, 198-pound WR transfer from Ohio State

Watts McBride – 6-foot-2, 185-pound DB from Cedar Rapids, IA

Ayden Price – 6-foot-0, 185-pound WR from West Des Moines, IA

Nolan DeLong – 6-foot-1, 205-pound LB from Durant, IA

Aidan McDermott – 6-foot-2, 190-pound WR from Cedar Rapids, IA

Jalyn Thompson – 6-foot-5, 230-pound TE from West Des Moines, IA

Judah Mallette – 6-foot-2, 185-pound WR from Chicago, IL

CJ Leonard – 6-foot-3, 185-pound WR from Shawnee, KS

Ryan Kuennen – 6-foot-3, 245-pound DE from West Des Moines, IA

Cael Winter – 6-foot-3, 250-pound OL from Waukee, IA

Luke Pollack – 6-foot-4, 200-pound WR from Deerfield, IL

Jack Laughlin – 6-foot-1, 202-pound LB from Carlisle, IA

Rusty VanWetzinga IV – 6-foot-1, 220-pound FB from Pleasant Valley, IA

Amare Bickham – 6-foot-1, 165-pound CB from Fulshear, TX

Tommy Poholsky – 6-foot-2, 200-pound QB from Evergreen, CO

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