This week, EA Sports dropped the much-anticipated player ratings for College Football 27, and it's time to dive into how the Iowa Hawkeyes stack up. With an overall team rating of 80 and the offense slightly edging that with an 81, there's plenty to break down for fans of the black and gold.
For those eager to get their hands on the game, mark your calendars for July 9. But if you're an EA Play member or an MVP+ subscriber, you might just get a sneak peek up to a week earlier.
Let’s huddle up and examine each position group's ratings, highlighting who might be the game-changers on the virtual field.
Quarterback
- Jeremy Hecklinski - 71 overall
- Hank Brown - 69 overall
- Jimmy Sullivan - 66 overall
While Iowa's quarterbacks might not be setting the ratings chart on fire, there’s some intriguing potential here. Hecklinski brings an impressive 83 speed to the table, which could make him a dual-threat option.
Brown's speed isn't shabby either at 74. The real test will be how they perform when it comes to airing it out.
Running Back
- Kamari Moulton - 88 overall
- LJ Phillips Jr. - 82 overall
- Brevin Doll - 77 overall
- Nathan McNeil - 76 overall
Moulton looks like a standout, with a combination of 92 speed, 90 agility, and 88 change of direction. That’s the kind of back you want anchoring your ground game.
Phillips brings the power with an 83 strength, while Doll’s 92 speed and 91 agility make him a prime candidate for those screen passes. McNeil rounds out the group with solid all-around numbers.
Wide Receiver
- Reece Vander Zee - 79 overall
- Tony Diaz - 79 overall
- Evan James - 77 overall
- Jarrett Buie - 74 overall
- Dayton Howard - 72 overall
- KJ Parker - 71 overall
- Alex Eichmann - 69 overall
- Xavier Stinson - 67 overall
Speed is the name of the game for Iowa's wideouts. Diaz and James are burners, boasting 91 and 92 speed, respectively, with agility and change of direction to match.
Vander Zee might not be the fastest, but his strength at 73 adds a different dimension. Parker’s got some wheels too, clocking in at 89 speed.
Tight End
- DJ Vonnahme - 88 overall
- Addison Ostrenga - 75 overall
- Zach Ortwerth - 75 overall
- Thomas Meyer - 74 overall
- Mason Woods - 73 overall
Vonnahme is a tight end that can do it all, with 87 speed and solid strength and agility numbers. He’s going to be a reliable target in the passing game. Ostrenga and Meyer bring the muscle, both with strengths in the 80s, making them valuable assets in both blocking and receiving roles.
Offensive Line
- Kade Pieper - 95 overall
- Trevor Lauck - 90 overall
- Leighton Jones - 79 overall
- Trent Wilson - 79 overall
- Jack Dotzler - 77 overall
- Cael Winter - 73 overall
- Cannon Leonard - 72 overall
- Lucas Allgeyer - 72 overall
- Will Nolan - 72 overall
- Bodey McCaslin - 70 overall
Iowa's offensive line is a fortress, led by Pieper and Lauck. With strengths of 90 and 91, these two are among the elite in the game. Jones and Wilson add depth with impressive strength, ensuring the Hawkeyes have a solid foundation up front.
Defensive Line
- Bryce Hawthorne - 78 overall
- Iose Epenesa - 76 overall
- Brice Stevenson - 75 overall
- Kenneth Merrieweather - 75 overall
- Will Hubert - 75 overall
- Kahmari Brown - 73 overall
- Joseph Anderson - 72 overall
- Chima Chineke - 71 overall
- Emmanuel Olagbaju - 71 overall
- Devan Kennedy - 69 overall
- Lance Ingold - 68 overall
- Luke Gaffney - 67 overall
The defensive line might face challenges, with ratings hovering in the 70s. Establishing a consistent pass rush could be tough, but there's room for growth as the season progresses.
Linebacker
- Jayden Montgomery - 78 overall
- Cam Buffington - 75 overall
- Landyn Van Kekerix - 74 overall
- Julian Manson - 73 overall
- Derek Weisskopf - 71 overall
- Preston Ries - 68 overall
- Billy Weivoda - 67 overall
- Nolan Delong - 65 overall
This linebacker group is in a rebuilding phase, but there are bright spots. Manson, a top recruit, is one to watch, and Buffington is poised for a ratings boost as the season unfolds.
Secondary
- Zach Lutmer - 88 overall
- Deshaun Lee - 85 overall
- Tyler Brown - 82 overall
- Jaylen Watson - 80 overall
- Anthony Hawkins - 79 overall
- Darion Jones - 75 overall
- Rashad Godfrey Jr. - 75 overall
- Xavier Styles - 72 overall
- Ty Hudkins - 71 overall
- Marcello Vitti - 71 overall
- Cody Haddad - 70 overall
- Kyler Gerardy - 68 overall
The secondary is where Iowa shines. Lutmer is a star with 91 speed, and Lee isn't far behind with 90 speed and excellent agility.
Watson's agility at 92 makes him a dynamic playmaker. This group will be a blast to control in the game, offering plenty of opportunities for big plays.
Whether you're a die-hard Hawkeyes fan or just love a good college football game, these ratings offer a glimpse into the virtual gridiron battles to come.
In Other News...
Kade Pieper Made The Kind Of Choice Iowa Fans Will Love
Kade Pieper already had the kind of season that puts an Iowa offensive lineman on the map. After starting all 13 games at right guard and earning third-team All-Big Ten honors, he could have easily been one of the next Hawkeyes to test the NFL waters, the sort of lineman pro teams look at closely when draft season rolls around.
Instead, Pieper is staying put, and that matters in Iowa City because it says plenty about what the program still sells as well as what it develops. Offensive line coach George Barnett said he talked through Piepers options with him, and the decision fits the culture-first identity Iowa has leaned on for years. Now Pieper is making another move up front, shifting to center and keeping the Hawkeyes interior line tradition in good hands. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hawkeye Faces Much Bigger Summer League Test Than The Others
The post-draft shuffle will keep a few familiar Iowa names on the same Summer League stage, with Bennett Stirtz, Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix all landing with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brendan Hausen set to suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies. It gives Hawkeye fans an easy early summer follow, especially with both teams building out their schedules and plenty of crossover between players who spent recent seasons in Iowa City.
Hausens situation makes his month feel a little different from the others, since he is trying to turn this opportunity into something more lasting, while the Thunder side offers a clearer runway for Stirtz, Sandfort and Dix to show what they can do against NBA competition. Their paths will cross right away, too, with all four former Hawkeyes set to be on the floor in the same opener next Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Prep Baseball Race Just Got Interesting For Hawkeyes Fans
High school baseball in Iowa has entered the part of the calendar where every big swing and every dominant outing starts to carry a little extra weight, and that has Hawkeyes fans with a reason to keep an eye on the statewide picture. High School On SI Iowa has opened voting for its midseason player of the year across five classifications, with nominees and their numbers through June 28 serving as a snapshot of who has separated himself before the stretch run.
The race is meant to be a fun one, but it also offers a look at some of the talent making noise just before the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Baseball Tournament begins July 20. Among the names in the mix are several Class 4A standouts, including one Iowa commit and another player whose power numbers have put him in the spotlight, giving fans plenty to sort through before voting closes on July 6. [Read more 🡒]