IOWA CITY - Iowa just added another intriguing piece to its secondary puzzle, landing a commitment from Ohio State transfer Cody Haddad. The former Buckeye didn’t see the field during his lone season in Columbus, but he arrives in Iowa City with four full years of eligibility and plenty of upside.
Haddad, a 3-star recruit in the 2025 class out of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, originally chose Ohio State over a stacked offer sheet that included Missouri, Michigan State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Wisconsin - and yes, Iowa. The Hawkeyes didn’t win the first recruiting battle, but they stayed the course and ultimately came out on top in the transfer portal.
The move gives Iowa another versatile option in the defensive backfield. Haddad projects as a safety at the college level, but his high school tape shows a player who can line up all over the field.
He’s got the instincts to diagnose plays quickly, the physicality to step into the box and support the run, and the athleticism to cover receivers in man. There’s a track background there, too, and it shows up in his closing speed.
Add in his time playing receiver, and you’ve got a guy with natural ball skills - a trait that’s always welcome in the back end of a defense.
There’s still some physical development needed. At 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds, Haddad will benefit from time in Iowa’s strength program, especially if he’s going to play the kind of downhill, contact-heavy football the Hawkeyes expect from their safeties.
But the tools are there, and so is the football IQ. Recruiting analysts have pegged him as a Power Five starter with the kind of flexibility that defensive coordinators love - a potential chess piece who can fit into multiple roles depending on the matchup.
Haddad is now the fourth defensive back Iowa has brought in through the portal this cycle, joining Anthony Hawkins (Villanova), Tyler Brown (James Madison), and Xavier Styles (Robert Morris). That’s not just depth - that’s competition. And it’s clear Iowa’s staff is retooling the secondary with players who can contribute right away.
Hawkins was a second-team FCS Freshman All-American last season and brings a well-rounded skill set that should allow him to rotate between strong safety, free safety, and the Cash position - a hybrid role in Iowa’s scheme. Brown, meanwhile, was a rock for a James Madison team that reached the College Football Playoff, starting all 14 games at free safety. Styles adds another layer of experience after two seasons at Robert Morris.
For Iowa, this is more than just adding bodies. It’s about building a versatile, athletic, and competitive defensive backfield - and Haddad fits right into that vision.
His journey is just getting started, but the foundation is there. Now it’s up to him to carve out a role in a Hawkeye defense that doesn’t hand out playing time - it demands it.