Iowa Football Recruiting Classes 2008 and 2009

Iowa 2008 Recruiting
LB-Steve Bigach 2 Stars
Ath-David Blackwell 3 Stars
RB-Jeff Brinson 3 Stars
Ath-Greg Castillo 2 Stars
DB-David Cato 3 Stars
OL-James Ferentz 3 Stars
DE-Joe Gaglione 2 Stars
TE-Jonathan Gimm 3 Stars
DE-J.D. Griggs 2 Stars
RB-Nate Guillory 3 Stars JUCO
RB-Jewel Hampton 2 Stars
TE-Brad Herman 3 Stars
RB-William Lowe 2 Stars
OL-Casey McMillan 2 Stars
K-Trent Mossbrucker 2 Stars
Ath-DeMarco Paine 3 Stars
WR-Shane Prater 2 Stars
DB-Shaun Prater 3 Stars
DE-Riley Reiff 3 Stars
RB-Adam Robinson 2 Stars
DE-Jason Semmes 2 Stars
WR-Khalif Staten 3 Stars
DB-Jack Swanson 2 Stars
QB-James Vandenberg 3 Stars
QB-John Wienke 3 Stars

There were no 4 star recruits according to Rivals.com. Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson were two 2 star players that played pretty solid, but both were out of the program by their junior years. Riley Reiff was the best player in the class, ending up as a first round pick.

This was a big class, but hardly any of these players played meaningful minutes or any minutes at all. Ferentz, Herman, Shaun Prater, Reiff, Robinson and Vandenberg were the only players that ended up in the starting lineup. Bigach and Gaglione did last year, but weren't that great. Blackwell, Brinson, Cato, Griggs, Guillory, Hampton, Lowe, Paine, Shane Prater, Semmes, and Staten all transferred or quit. The other players who stayed: Castillo, Gimm, McMillan, Mossbrucker, Swanson and Wienke didn't do much at all. Prater and Reiff are the only NFL guys out of this class besides Hampton who didn't play with the 49ers and Herman who probably won't stick around long.

2009
DE-Dominic Alvis 2 Stars
TE-Conor Boffeli 3 Stars
DB-Joshua Brown 2 Stars
OL-Drew Clark 3 Stars
Ath-Jordan Cotton 3 Stars
DT-Scott Covert 2 Stars
WR-Keenan Davis 4 Stars
LB-Shane DiBona 2 Stars
Ath-Dakota Getz 2 Stars
LB-Tyler Harrell 2 Stars
LB-Martin Hopkins 2 Stars
QB-Micah Hyde 2 Stars
OL-Nolan MacMillan 3 Stars
OL-Matt Murphy 2 Stars
WR-Stephane Ngoumou 2 Stars
LB-Jake Reisen 2 Stars
RB-Brad Rogers 3 Stars
TE-Anthony Schiavone 2 Stars
OL-Brett Van Sloten 2 Stars
RB-Brandon Wegher 4 Stars

This class was smaller than the one before and even had a couple 4 star guys, who never really lived up to 4 star status. Keenan Davis was a solid player though. Wegher had a promising career, looked great in his rookie year. Look at all the players who never made it the full four years: Brown, Covert, DiBona-inj, Getz-inj, Harrell, Hopkins, Murphy, Ngoumou, Rogers-inj, Schiavone, Wegher. Of the ones who stuck around, not much star power. Davis was a solid WR and might get a shot in the NFL. Hyde was a nice surprise for a 2 star and could hear his name called during the draft. Alvis has panned out decent at DE and has another year. Boffeli got stuck behind some talented OL but could get his shot this year. Clark never cracked the lineup. Cotton has been a solid return guy, but hasn't amounted to much at WR. MacMillan looked good when healthy. Reisen rarely played. Rogers was a great FB, but injured. Van Sloten has been a nice 2 star surprise.

Looking at both of these classes, I think this sums up why the Hawkeyes sucked last year. Way too many players left, and many of the "projects" didn't pan out.