With the transfer portal window closing fast, Iowa football made a late push-and struck gold not once, but twice.
As of the final hours before the Friday night deadline, the Hawkeyes have now secured 12 transfer additions, bolstering depth across the board. Most of those names are coming from the FCS level, but the latest pickup adds a bit more intrigue to the wide receiver room.
Southern Methodist University wideout Lance Beeghley is officially headed to Iowa, announcing his commitment just before the buzzer. And while he didn’t see the field during his redshirt freshman year at SMU, Beeghley brings upside-and hunger.
The New Braunfels, Texas native first made waves as a senior at New Braunfels High School, where he put up 954 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 65 catches during the 2023 season. That production earned him a walk-on opportunity at SMU in the 2024 recruiting class, but after a year without game action, Beeghley entered the portal looking for a fresh start. He found one in Iowa City.
From the moment he stepped on campus, Beeghley felt at home, noting that the program’s culture and development track record stood out. That’s a theme we’ve seen before with Iowa-players who may not have been heavily recruited out of high school, but who buy into the system and evolve into key contributors.
Beeghley becomes the third wide receiver transfer to join the Hawkeyes this cycle, alongside Tony Diaz (UTRGV) and Evan James (Furman). It’s a clear signal that Iowa is serious about retooling its receiving corps, a unit that’s been under the microscope in recent years for a lack of explosive playmakers.
With three years of eligibility left, Beeghley has time to grow into a role, and Iowa has a track record of turning under-the-radar talent into reliable weapons. The Hawkeyes aren’t just plugging holes-they’re building layers of competition, and Beeghley’s arrival adds another compelling name to watch as the offseason unfolds.
And just like that, Iowa closes the portal window with a dozen new faces, a reloaded depth chart, and some fresh energy heading into spring ball.