Ben McCollum’s early recruiting surge at Iowa just picked up another big jolt.
The Hawkeyes are already sitting on a commitment from 2027 forward Keller Daugherty, and they’ve also made the final five for Cayden Daughtry, the No. 3 overall prospect in the class. Now another major target has narrowed things down, with top-20 2027 guard Jalen Davis naming Iowa among his final 10 schools.
Davis, a 6-3 guard, had already set an official visit to Iowa City for Oct. 3 before trimming his list. Along with Iowa, his top 10 includes BYU, Gonzaga, Ole Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC and Washington. Rivals currently has Davis ranked as the No. 6 point guard and the No. 20 player overall in the 2027 class.
He’s the kind of guard who changes the conversation. Davis is one of the class’ premier scorers, but his game also brings passing ability and finishing touch around the rim, even with his size limitations. That combination is a big part of why Iowa has stayed aggressive in its pursuit.
The fit with Daugherty is obvious, too. The two would give McCollum a backcourt pairing with complementary skill sets, with Daugherty bringing more punch as an offensive player and Davis offering playmaking and rim pressure. That’s the type of duo Iowa has clearly been trying to put itself in position to land.
McCollum’s staff has pushed hard for both prospects, and the Hawkeyes have now put themselves in the mix for two of the most coveted guards in the 2027 class. With official visits coming this fall, Iowa has a real shot to turn all that momentum into something even bigger.
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Iowa Basketball Mourns The Loss Of One Of Its True Legends
Don Nelson, one of the most accomplished figures ever tied to Iowa basketball, died on Aug. 9 at the age of 86. Before becoming a Hall of Fame coach and one of the NBAs defining basketball minds, Nelson starred at the University of Iowa and later built a pro career that included five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, three Coach of the Year awards and 1,335 career wins on the bench.
For Hawkeye fans, the loss lands with extra weight because Nelson was not just a big name who passed through the program. He was a true college standout whose success helped shape Iowas basketball history, and his place in the sport was cemented when he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Even now, his legacy remains the standard for what a Hawkeye can become after leaving Iowa City. [Read more 🡒]
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Jack Dotzler is in a different kind of fight, one that comes with the urgency of a final season and a chance to become a full-time starter up front. For Iowa, the larger issue is depth and reliability, since camp performance will go a long way toward sorting out which returning offensive pieces can handle bigger roles. These are the sorts of August decisions that often shape how much flexibility the Hawkeyes have once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Just Raised The Stakes In Iowas QB Battle
At Big Ten Media Days, Kirk Ferentz made it clear Iowas quarterback picture is still very much unsettled heading into the season. The Hawkeyes have been working through their competition, and Ferentz said hes pleased with the progress so far, but he stopped short of naming a starter with summer winding on.
Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown remain at the center of the battle, and the timing only adds to the intrigue. Ferentz did not put a firm date on when the choice will be made, leaving open the possibility that the answer comes later in August or even after the opener, a scenario that would keep one of the teams biggest questions hanging longer than usual. [Read more 🡒]
