Iowa’s recruiting push in the 2028 class has already started to take shape, and one of the newest names on the Hawkeyes’ board is combo guard Parker McDaniel.
McDaniel announced on X on July 22, 2026 that he had picked up an offer from Iowa, adding another major program to the mix for the rising prospect. His message was simple and grateful: “Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Iowa!!!
Thank you to Coach Wheeler and Coach Mac for believing in me!!! #gohawkeyes 🖤💛 @_Connor_Wheeler @CoachMcCollum @IowaHoops pic.twitter.com/TrKOYPV13C”
The Hawkeyes have been around McDaniel for a while. He took an unofficial visit to Iowa last season when the Hawkeyes beat Nebraska 57-52 in February, and he said the contact has not slowed down since then. According to McDaniel, the staff has stayed in touch consistently, with at least one member of the program at all of his spring games and multiple games over the summer as well.
That kind of attention fits the way Ben McCollum and his staff have approached recruiting. Iowa has already landed four-star prospect Keller Daughtry, a Missouri forward who moved from a three-star and the No. 153 overall prospect in the 2027 class to a four-star and the No. 109 prospect after his commitment. The Hawkeyes are also still in the hunt for top-three prospect Cayden Daughtry, and now they’ve turned more of their focus toward McDaniel.
McDaniel’s calling card is obvious: he can really shoot it. But he’s made it clear he wants to be seen as more than a specialist.
He told On3 Sports that he is extremely competitive on both ends of the floor and usually takes on the opposing team’s best scorer. Rivals currently lists him as a four-star prospect and the No. 78 overall player in the class, and the appeal is easy to see.
He has a smooth stroke, and his ball-handling helps him get to his spots without much trouble.
For Iowa, the fit is pretty straightforward. The roster has athletic wings who can score from the perimeter and attack the basket, but outside of Cooper Koch and possibly Tate Sage, it doesn’t have an elite, high-volume shooter who can consistently light it up from deep.
With star point guard Bennett Stirtz now in the NBA, the program is looking for another player who can stretch the floor in a real way. McDaniel checks that box, and if his defense carries over, he could end up being a strong addition to the 2028 class.
McCollum has already shown he’s willing to swing big on the trail, and Iowa’s early work with McDaniel suggests the Hawkeyes are serious about keeping him in the fold.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Lost Another Key Piece Of Its 2027 Backcourt Board
Iowas 2027 backcourt board took another hit with the latest movement on TJ Jamison, a 6-foot-2 point guard from Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana. Jamison had been one of the Hawkeyes more important early guard targets in the class, and Iowa had done enough to get him onto campus for an official visit, keeping him squarely in the mix as the staff kept building out its point guard priorities.
The Hawkeyes still have work to do in that part of the board, though, and the next stretch of visits will matter. Iowa remains involved with Cayden Daughtry and Jaxson Davis, two other top point guard prospects who are both scheduled to be in Iowa City in September, giving the staff at least a couple more chances to make a move in a recruitment that is starting to thin out. [Read more 🡒]
Jaidyn Coon Might Be The Wing Iowa Fans Have Waited For
Iowas wing room already looks deeper and more athletic than it has in a while, and Jaidyn Coon is a big reason why the buzz keeps building. The 2026 commit has the kind of length and explosiveness that jumps off the page in summer workouts, where his ability to get above the rim and make plays on the defensive end has stood out alongside a group of returning and incoming wings who give the roster real flexibility.
The next step for Coon is less about what he can do in traffic and more about rounding out the rest of his game. His shooting was inconsistent in high school, but the Hawkeyes are betting that his slashing, defense and natural athleticism can already earn him a place in the rotation, with early minutes as a freshman not sounding far-fetched if the progress keeps coming. [Read more 🡒]