Iowa football’s 2024 class is stacked with talent, including eight four-star signees.
On Monday, 247Sports announced its revised rankings for the 2024 class, and one of Iowa’s 2024 signees joined the four-star list.
According to 247Sports, Iowa’s 2024 class is ranked No. 31 overall and No. 9 in the Big Ten.
Let’s look at the eight four-stars in the class. This is Iowa’s highest number of four-star recruits since the 2021 cycle.
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LB DEREK WEISSKOPF.
Overall Ranking: No. 196
Position Rank: No. 17 Linebacker
Scouting Report: “A versatile athlete who excels in football and other sports. Has a track and basketball background. Good high school offensive talent, but his eventual position is linebacker. Has all the athletic abilities to be a three-down back. Has a longer frame and plays with great coordination. Ball skills and movement abilities indicate that he will be an asset in covering at his position. Has to fill in and grow stronger. Not as violent of a striker currently but more power and size should add to it.
There is a lot of possibility, and this is the type of profile that usually works out well when you can focus on one position completely.” – 247Sports’ Allen Trieu
Outlook at Iowa: Weisskopf has played nearly every position for Williamsburg, including quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, and safety. That versatility will serve him well as a linebacker for Iowa, as will his ability to play in space while also possessing exceptional ball skills.
Weisskopf is also a state champion high jumper for the second year in a row, demonstrating his explosiveness as well as his ability to finish above the hoop with his dunks. He’ll need to bulk up, but his fundamentals and instincts for football are undeniable. He is one of the most consistent tacklers I’ve seen, and he goes to punch the ball out every time he makes a tackle, demonstrating his awareness on the field. His ceiling will be extremely high once he becomes accustomed to the linebacker position.
Overall Ranking: No. 201
Position rank: No. 12 tight end.
Scouting Report: An athletic tight end with impressive testing results and a high ceiling. As a junior, I was 6-foot-5 and weighed roughly 210 pounds, with plenty of space to grow. Explosive and has run shuttles in the 4.5 second range. Demonstrates great ball skills. He catches it over his shoulder nicely and has shown the ability to get up and over defenders for disputed throws.
Does some double clutching at times. Lines up both attached and unattached and can function in both states. Runs past opponents relatively easily down the field. As a blocker, he is very willing and tenacious, and his performance will only improve as he gains strength. Most likely, he will not carry a lot of weight, but he can function as a 230-240 pound tight end who can line up anywhere in the formation. If he can swiftly gain weight and strength, he has the explosive ability to play at a top major level.
Hoffman is now attending Iowa as an early enrollee. Hoffman shown excellent athleticism in high school, as well as the ability to move downfield and be a threat in the intermediate and short passing games. Hoffman possesses athletic attributes that enhance his ceiling, and he has grown as a blocker during his high school career, in addition to his receiving pedigree. Hoffman may not have an immediate impact at Iowa, but he might grow into a valuable role player in his second year.
Iowa has a very young tight end room behind Luke Lachey and Addison Ostrenga next season, and after a great freshman season, it wouldn’t be surprising if Hoffman competes for snaps in year two. There are a lot of things to work with when it comes to Hoffman and he may have one of the highest ceilings in this class regardless of what side of the football.
OL Will Nolan
Overall Ranking: No. 239
Position ranking: No. 23 offensive tackle.
Scouting Report: A naturally slim build that filled in nicely during his junior year. A multi-sport athlete who excels as a track thrower, which often predicts offensive line success. Athleticism and movement abilities are obvious on video. Gets off the ball well and plays with poise. Could be a little lower at times, but has the bend and athleticism to keep growing in that area. Gets onto the second level and out into space well.
He appears to be more experienced as a run blocker than a pass protector. Work in development, but has significant upside and the potential to be a Power Five starter, as well as indicators that we see in future draft picks.
Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett did it again in this cycle with Will Nolan and Bodey McCaslin, following up on his success in acquiring two strong high school offensive linemen in 2023. Nolan’s ranking rose dramatically this autumn as a result of his senior year performance and dominance at the tackle position in one of Illinois’ highest classifications.
Nolan’s multi-sport background bodes well for his long-term success at offensive tackle, and as a senior in high school, he already looks like a Big Ten offensive tackle. He appears to be a reasonably solid option at tackle for Iowa in the future, which is exactly what the Hawkeyes need.
LB CAM BUFFERTON
Linebacker, ranked 24th.
Scouting Report: A very good athlete who has participated in a number of sports and performed well in camp environments. Athleticism is evident in his ability to cover and play in space. Performs athletic tasks with coordination and balance, and is a fluid mover capable of changing direction. Plays 8-man ball and dominates at that level. Has short-area quickness and will make an exceptional covering linebacker in college. Has all of the gifts; he just needs to acclimate to the high college level and 11-man ball, but we believe he will do so and become an impact player and future NFL pick. Can play either Mike or Sam.
Outlook at Iowa: The most difficult adjustment for Buffington will be adjusting to the 11-man game after playing 8-man football in tiny towns. However, his athleticism and constant dominance on the 8-man gridiron should translate to the college game, and he should adjust fast. Buffington, like the other linebacker commits in this class, has an athletic background that will benefit him, and he moves as naturally as any linebacker Iowa has recruited in recent years. Buffington has a nose for football and plays with a physicality that will benefit Iowa.
He can also cover and run. He’ll be joining a strong linebacker corps at Iowa, but his quickness and instincts should put him on the field early on special teams. I believe he will be one of the next All-Big Ten linebackers in this class.
OL CODY FOX
Position rank: No. 19 interior offensive lineman.
Scouting Report: “Fox possesses a handful of critical markers for projecting offensive line success in the long run, as evidenced in recent NFL drafts. When looking through O-line picks throughout the last few years, you’ll notice a lot of snaps on both sides. Furthermore, a layered athletic profile encompassing various sports — in Fox’s instance, strong wrestling context and limited shot put and discus reps — provides vital information about Fox’ athleticism and how it manifests on the field. His point-of-attack strength and block-finishing power reflect his athletic background, as does his ability to play past opponents while switching to the defensive line. Fox can continue to enhance his physical qualities, as well as his balance and body control, but his play style and overall athletic profile point to his becoming a tone-setting guard. And Iowa fans had to like Fox’ toughness, which he demonstrated earlier this semester when wrestling despite a damaged meniscus and bone bruise during the state tournament, according to The Gazette of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.” – 247Sports’ Gabe Brooks
Fox fits the template of Iowa’s interior lineman, and we believe he will be another high-floor addition to the Hawkeyes. Fox’s wrestling background gives him an advantage on the football field, as does his ability to shed tackles and create open-field plays on the defensive line. Fox is strong at the point of attack, moves effectively for his stature, and has the body type to develop into a key rotation player for Iowa in the future.
QB JAMES RESAR
Position Rank: No. 23 athlete.
Scouting Report: A long dual-threat quarterback with proven track speed. Has mostly used a single-back spread offense, with some RPOs on the call sheet. As a junior, he completed slightly more than 66 percent of his throws, passing for 1,986 yards and 16 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also accumulated 520 yards and 11 additional touchdowns on the ground. The type of signal caller that will keep defenses honest by threatening to move the chains with delayed draws and rapid alternatives. However, he isn’t someone who is always looking to take off; instead, he prefers to stand his ground in the pocket and work his way up. At this point in his growth, he is best suited to being a touch passer. You might lack arm power, but the 11th grade spray chart is plenty with balls that challenge the deeper third. Must continue to improve as a decision-maker and learn to avoid focusing on certain aims, but possesses some unique tools and has already demonstrated grit. Should be considered as a plus athlete attempting to play the game’s most difficult position. He will most likely need some time to prepare for the big stage.
Resar was a significant triumph for Iowa early in the 2024 cycle. Resar differs from Iowa’s current quarterbacks. Resar, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds, has exceptional speed, with a 10.67 100-meter dash time on the track last spring. He carries that pace to the football field, where he can extend plays and get upfield. As Ivins stated, Resar will need to work on his velocity and decision-making skills as quarterback. However, Iowa fans have urged the Hawkeyes to add more athletes to the quarterback room, and Resar is the result.
It will take some time for him to mature as a passer and decision-maker, but he should be a contender for the starting role in a few seasons after the departures of Cade McNamara and Deacon Hill.
DL Joseph Anderson
Position: No. 28 EDGE
Scouting Report: “You’ll be hard pressed to find a pass rusher with a more stellar track and field resume than Joseph Anderson. The youngest son of former NFL offensive lineman Bennie Anderson is Missouri’s reigning class 3A state triple jump champion. As a tenth grader, he also placed second in the long jump and qualified for the 110-meter hurdles at the state meet. He may not be the thickest edge player, but he is long and explosive. He also appears to be at ease when forced to retrace his steps and change directions. Anderson is believed to weigh somewhere around 215 pounds.
He’ll probably need a few years in a college strength program before he’s ready to compete on Saturdays, but there’s plenty of clay to sculpt.” 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins
Outlook at Iowa: Anderson has one of the highest ceilings in this class, and his high school numbers demonstrate production, which is a desirable characteristic. Anderson’s genes are undeniably appealing, and his athletic profile adds to his allure. Anderson’s athletic abilities at his current size ooze potential, and if he completes a couple of years in the strength and conditioning program, Iowa fans should expect to hear his name mentioned frequently when it comes to bringing down opponents in the backfield.
DL CHIMA CHINEKE.
Position: No. 41 EDGEChima Chineke emerged as a high three-star 87 on 247Sports over the summer, following an excellent combine testing performance that solidified the Plano (Texas) East defense as one of the Lone Star State’s higher-ceiling athletes in the 2024 recruiting cycle. The future Iowa Hawkeye advances to four-star rank thanks to an excellent combine testing profile highlighted by nearly 37-inch arms and an 85-inch wingspan, an impressive multi-sport profile, and more consistent play on tape as a senior.
Chineke never had the ultra-productive breakout season that would have propelled him into the Top247 rankings, but he showed enough development during his 48-tackle, eight-TFL, and 5 1/2-sack senior season to earn a fourth star. If Chineke can continue to gain weight while maintaining his athleticism, his frame should be able to carry close to 300 pounds, giving him as good a chance as any player on this list to make an impression during the first two days of the NFL Draft.”
Chineke’s length is outstanding, and his frame will allow him to quickly gain weight. A few colleges wanted him to bulk up and become a long-term inside defensive lineman, but Iowa wants him on the EDGE, though he could also play interior in certain packages. Chineke’s flexibility, in addition to his measurables, will aid his long-term projection, and the fact that he’ll be attending Iowa, a college known for producing defensive lineman, appears to be an ideal fit.
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