The first wave of ratings for EA Sports College Football 27 gives Iowa fans a pretty clear snapshot of where the Hawkeyes stand in the game.
At quarterback, the numbers reflect exactly what’s happening in Iowa City. Jeremy Hecklinski comes in at 71, Hank Brown at 69, and Jimmy Sullivan at 66. That leaves the position looking very much like a real battle, and the game will let players sort through it themselves.
In the backfield, Kamari Moulton is the headliner with an 88, followed by Lendon Phillips Jr. at 82, Brevin Doll at 77 and Nathan NcNeil at 76. That’s a strong group, and Moulton’s rating jumps off the page as a sign of how well he’s viewed heading into the fall.
The receiving corps is led by Reece Vander Zee and Tony Diaz, who are both at 79. Evan James checks in at 77, Jarriett Biue at 74, Dayton Howard at 72, KJ Parker and Marcello Vitti at 71, Alex Eichmann at 69 and Xavier Stinson at 67.
At tight end, DJ Vonnahme sits at 88, with Addison Ostrenga and Zach Ortwerth both at 75. Thomas Meyer is rated 74, Mason Woods 73 and Ike Speltz 65. That group lines up with the expectation that Iowa will lean heavily on two-tight-end looks, and the game’s roster seems built to reflect that.
The defensive front also has some interesting spread. Iose Epenesa is at 76, Kennett Merrieweather at 75, Kahmari Brown at 73, Joseph Anderson at 72 and Chima Chineke at 71. The ratings suggest Iowa will be looking for someone to step up and create pressure when the season starts.
On the line, Bryce Hawthorne leads the way at 78. Brice Stevenson and Will Hubert are both 75, Emmanuel Olagbaju is 71, Devan Kennedy is 69, Lance Ingold is 68 and Luke Gaffney is 67.
At linebacker, Jayden Montgomery is rated 78, followed by Cam Buffington at 75, Landyn Van Kekerix at 74, Julian Manson at 73, Derek Weisskopf at 71, Preston Ries at 68, Billy Weivoda at 67 and Nolan DeLong at 65. Those numbers also fit the idea that Buffington could be part of the starting mix in Iowa’s 4-2-5 setup.
In the secondary, Deshaun Lee leads with an 85, while Jaylen Watson is at 80 and Darion Jones and Rashad Godfrey Jr. are both 75.
Then there’s Zach Lutmer, who tops the safety group at 88. Tyler Brown is next at 82, Anthony Hawkins at 79, Xavier Styles at 72, Ty Hudkins at 71, Cody Haddad at 70 and Kyler Gerardy at 68. Lutmer’s rating makes him one of the clear standouts on the roster, and the game gives him the kind of flexibility that matches his real-life role.
In Other News...
Tavion Banks Leaves Iowa With Ben McCollum Facing Another Roster Test
Tavion Banks departure adds another early roster wrinkle for Ben McCollum as he continues shaping Iowas mens basketball program for the future. Banks announced on Instagram that he will not return to the Hawkeyes despite having another year of eligibility, closing the book on a season in which he quickly became a key contributor after transferring in from Drake.
For Iowa, the move is another reminder that roster building under a new staff is rarely smooth, especially when a player who helped last season decides to move on. Banks thanked the coaching staff, teammates and fans in his farewell message, leaving the Hawkeyes to absorb one more exit while McCollum keeps working through the lineup decisions that will define his first roster in Iowa City. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces 3 Huge Camp Battles That Could Define This Season
Iowa heads into fall camp with a roster that looks far less settled than usual, and that alone makes the next few weeks worth watching. With only 10 starters back, the Hawkeyes are trying to sort out multiple jobs at once, and the most visible uncertainty sits at quarterback, where Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are both still in the mix as the staff looks for someone to grab hold of the offense.
The questions do not stop there, either. There are openings along both lines, where departures have created a wide path for new faces to compete for starting roles and reshape the front on both sides of the ball. For a program that usually leans on stability and development, this camp could end up defining not just who starts, but how quickly Iowa can turn a thin list of returnees into something sturdy enough for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Tavion Banks Just Left Iowa Fans Waiting On One Big Decision
A Colorado judges ruling has given members of the 2022 recruiting class, including Tavion Banks, another year of NCAA eligibility under the new five-year model, and it immediately turned what looked like a straightforward Iowa decision into something much more complicated. Banks had already applied for a fifth year after exhausting his eligibility, and he had initially signaled a desire to come back to Iowa, which made the Hawkeyes one of the obvious teams watching this story closely.
Now the picture is less certain. Banks is weighing his next move and the ruling has created uncertainty not just for his college future, but for programs trying to plan around players suddenly eligible for one more season. For Iowa fans, the wait continues on the one question that mattered most: whether Banks next stop will still be in Iowa City. [Read more 🡒]