Iowa added a different kind of piece to its secondary this offseason: a Power 4 transfer with a familiar name, a football background, and enough flexibility to move around wherever Phil Parker needs him.
That player is Cody Haddad, the former Ohio State defensive back who arrived in Iowa City after one year in Columbus and now gives the Hawkeyes another body in a safety room that needed reinforcements. Iowa lost Xavier Nwankpa to the NFL and Koen Entringer to Louisville through the portal, so the staff responded by stacking the backend with transfers such as expected starter Tyler Brown from James Madison, possible starter Anthony Hawkins from Villanova, depth option Xavier Styles from Robert Morris, and Haddad as the lone scholarship transfer from a Power 4 program.
Haddad’s path to Iowa makes sense when you trace it back to high school. A product of St.
Ignatius in Cleveland, Ohio, he committed to Ohio State out of high school over Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and others. But after a year in Columbus, and after what he described as a difficult but honest conversation with safeties coach Matt Guerrieri, he decided the portal was the right move.
"Ohio State brought in a couple transfers. It was unfortunate," Haddad said at Iowa's Media Day last week. "I didn't plan on leaving Ohio State, but I wanted an opportunity to play."
Once he entered the portal, the interest came quickly. Tennessee, Texas A&M and Nebraska were among the schools involved, but Iowa made the strongest impression on his lone visit.
"I loved it right away. I felt at home.
My official visit actually, I was with Zach Lutmer, and he showed me a great time," Haddad said. "I had a great time at his house with all his friends, and we watched the national championship, actually.
It was really good to just go watch football with my future teammates."
For Haddad, the Hawkeyes didn’t need to oversell much. The program’s reputation did the heavy lifting.
"It just speaks for itself, honestly," Haddad said of the program. "When I got here, it's just, the traditions are amazing.
Coach Ferentz, I mean, he's been doing this. Same with Coach Parker for such a long time.
So, I mean, I have to trust him."
Football runs deep in the family, too. Haddad’s father, Drew, played wide receiver at Buffalo before a pro career that included time with the Buffalo Bills, Indianpolis Colts and San Diego Chargers. Drew also earned second-team All-MAC honors after posting 85 catches for 1,158 yards and six touchdowns.
"My dad has had the greatest impact on my football journey. I wouldn't be anywhere without him," Cody said.
"He supported me no matter what. He's been someone that I've always looked up to and strived to be like.
He's a great man. ... I made the decision, but he supports me, and he has great advice.
He's been through everything that I've been through so far."
For now, Haddad is not expected to be thrown into a major defensive role this fall. With Lutmer, Brown and Hawkins already giving Iowa experience on the back end, he’ll likely spend most of his early value on special teams while continuing to develop.
Even so, the long-term picture is a little more interesting. Iowa has been working him at free safety, strong safety and CASH, and Haddad said he’s fine with that kind of movement.
"I've been bouncing around [in practice] a little bit," Haddad said. "I'm going to be ready when my number is called, and I'm going to try to get on the field when I can. I'm going to do my best."
And for a player whose value is tied to versatility, that part seems to come naturally.
"I've got to know everything anyway," he added. "It's really nothing crazy for me, and it's more fun to play multiple positions. You get to be in different spots of the field every single time."
In Other News...
Iowa Fans Should Watch These Offensive Sleepers Very Closely
The conversation around Iowas offense is already shifting toward the next wave, and there are a few young names worth keeping on the radar as the program looks ahead to 2026. Freshman quarterback Tradon Bessinger, running back Xavier Williams, receiver Dayton Howard, tight ends DJ Vonnahme and Addison Ostrenga, and offensive lineman Michael Myslinski all sit in that category of players whose paths to playing time could open if development continues the way Iowa hopes.
What makes the group interesting is the variety of ways each could fit. Williams and Howard bring the kind of skill-position upside fans tend to track first, while Vonnahme and Ostrenga give the tight end room more potential depth, and Myslinski could matter up front if the line needs more help. For Iowa, the bigger question is not just which of these players flashes, but which ones are ready when the opportunity finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Already Faces A March Question Ben McCollum Must Answer
Iowas place in ESPNs updated bracketology says plenty about where Ben McCollums first Hawkeyes team stands in the national picture. Projected as a No. 10 seed in the South Region against Miami, Iowa is sitting in that uneasy middle ground where a promising start is enough to keep the conversation going, but not enough to make anyone comfortable yet. McCollum has a returning roster to work with, and the offseason additions of guard TyReek Coleman and center Andrew McKeever give the group more pieces to lean on as the season starts to take shape.
The bigger question for Iowa is the one that comes with being listed among the last four byes, because bubble teams rarely get the luxury of coasting into March. McCollum will have to prove quickly that this roster can handle the pressure that comes with those close calls, especially once the schedule tightens and the margin for error shrinks. For now, the Hawkeyes are in the mix, but the path from projected tournament team to a secure one is still being written. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Gets A Huge Sign Its O-Line Standard Isnt Slipping
Kade Piepers move from right guard to center already had the feel of an important transition for Iowa, and the preseason honors now attached to it only sharpen the focus. After starting all 13 games last season, Pieper has been named a preseason All-American by several outlets, including Walter Camp, On3, Athlon Sports and the Associated Press, a sign that the Hawkeyes offensive line standard remains where it usually is: high enough to draw national notice before a snap has been played.
For Iowa, this is less about a summer honor than a reminder that the line room still carries real expectations. Pieper is trying to turn last seasons success into even more value at center, where the responsibilities change but the spotlight gets brighter, and the next step matters for both the Hawkeyes and his NFL draft outlook. The praise is already in place, but the real test comes when the new role starts to reveal just how seamless that adjustment can be. [Read more 🡒]