April 1 Portal targets

TheREALSpooner

All-Conference
Dec 16, 2022
951
3,155
93
Me thinks this board is making the recruitment of the contemporary athlete to complicated. Shake hands and simply; "hey what's your number" ($). No need to spend hours, days, weeks on vists, entertainment, and chasing rumors. It's 2026, not 1985, see NCAA v Alston.

It is way, way more complicated than that. But good job trying to be cool, new age NIL guy.


wow. 2 top 10's. what a joke.

Well, it’s Iowa State. Not an elite program.
 
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Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
920
1,581
93
Yeah, I was hoping he’d be 157 for 2 years and big enough for 165; but it seems like he will be a 149 for most of his collegiate career and I would hate to lose any of our 27 class.

I kept hearing Fugitt is going to tOSU, but at the time I didn’t know if there was any truth to that.

Thanks for the clarification and insight Willie!
Yes, problem is if you lose joe Bachman, you also lose Fred. Do you lose Kinney also since they want to stay together? I guess we are not a place like PSU and okyst where they can stocky blue chips and none of them leave. That is the goal, and getting Zeppeda would be a good test to see if we can start doing that.
 

Dean111!

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2003
111
157
43
It is way, way more complicated than that. But good job trying to be cool, new age NIL guy.
...
Me, “new age”, unlikely. In today’s athletic world, many programs may well invest significant time and resources in recruiting a talented athlete. Only to be disappointed that athlete commits to the highest bidder. Today’s athlete, their parents and their financial advisor understand the value of a dollar. Per your judgment, it is NCAA athletics that is in a “new age”, not me. That ship sailed long-ago.
 

TheREALSpooner

All-Conference
Dec 16, 2022
951
3,155
93
Me, “new age”, unlikely. In today’s athletic world, many programs may well invest significant time and resources in recruiting a talented athlete. Only to be disappointed that athlete commits to the highest bidder. Today’s athlete, their parents and their financial advisor understand the value of a dollar. Per your judgment, it is NCAA athletics that is in a “new age”, not me. That ship sailed long-ago.


Again, you’re trying way too hard. Though you do have to be competitive from a NIL standpoint, stuff that’s always been a factor is still a factor. We hear athletes talk all the time about having similar offers but other things pushed their school of choice over the top

If it were only about the highest bidder we would be getting ready for the Bo Bassett era right now.
 
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SpacemanSpifff

Sophomore
Jul 18, 2025
51
156
32
Yes, problem is if you lose joe Bachman, you also lose Fred. Do you lose Kinney also since they want to stay together? I guess we are not a place like PSU and okyst where they can stocky blue chips and none of them leave. That is the goal, and getting Zeppeda would be a good test to see if we can start doing that.
Penn state and Okl state get to do it.

Why can’t we have nice things too?
 

Cidhawkeye

All-Conference
Jan 1, 2023
1,095
1,639
113
LOL. Not.

It's what I was told yesterday. Didn't make sense to me then, doesn't make sense to me now, but that's what I was told.

Like Corby has tried to tell you guys, information changes. I like sharing what i'm allowed to with the board.
Hopefully you trust who ‘told’ you this and they have a solid track record. Things can and do change.
People get told things a lot, sometimes a qualifier would help.
I was told Nebraska but it doesn’t make sense
Might have been better than throwing it out as a statement
 

dtripp26

Heisman
Oct 29, 2003
10,367
30,933
113
Zepeda i really don't have a read on. Moses Mendoza (FR at MICH) is his brother, so they make a bunch of sense. i'm not sure how i feel about Zepeda at Iowa. that's a four-year guy right in the same wheelhouse as a ton of your top commits. could he be the best guy? absolutely. would you see some of your commits open up? you could probably guarantee that.
Ready made stud who slots in at 49/57 (wherever works best for him and block) vs an unknown guy 2 years from now?

Gimmie the guy rn.
 

dtripp26

Heisman
Oct 29, 2003
10,367
30,933
113
Yes, problem is if you lose joe Bachman, you also lose Fred. Do you lose Kinney also since they want to stay together? I guess we are not a place like PSU and okyst where they can stocky blue chips and none of them leave. That is the goal, and getting Zeppeda would be a good test to see if we can start doing that.
In this current landscape, get what you can get now (esp with 4 years left) and see what the future brings!
 
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UNIHawk

Senior
May 2, 2025
299
848
93
Even if it cost us 4 commits in the Bachmanns and Kenny’s?
Zepeda goes the next two years at 149 Block bumps 157; Joey finished HS and takes a RS those two years. The following year Joey and Zepeda decide where they go, one goes 149, the other 157, Freddy takes a grey shirt. Following year after that, Freddy in RS and Zepeda finishes his last year....it's doable.

The two that are going to get squeezed whether Zepeda comes or not are Dawson and Shamus. Amato hopefully grows into a 165, otherwise there's some juggling there too.
 

dtripp26

Heisman
Oct 29, 2003
10,367
30,933
113
Even if it cost us 4 commits in the Bachmanns and Kenny’s?

Give me The Kenny’s, Bachmanns, Borge, Amato, Regan, and Youngblut…
If they are all coming in this year no way I'd take him unless someone is 165 ready... but they are all spread out over 27/28 class.

That's an eternity in the current recruiting landscape... and we know they ain't going to psu or okie, so we still offer the best situation.
 

Dean111!

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2003
111
157
43
Again, you’re trying way too hard. Though you do have to be competitive from a NIL standpoint, stuff that’s always been a factor is still a factor. We hear athletes talk all the time about having similar offers but other things pushed their school of choice over the top

If it were only about the highest bidder we would be getting ready for the Bo Bassett era right now.
Concede, we are seeing regression to the mean one year into NCAA Revenue Sharing. NIL outliers (Cooper Flagg, Arch Manning, Carson Beck, et al) will continue to be targets for high bidders. Maybe tOSU outbid University of Iowa for Ben Davino(?). Frequency of Caitlin Clark(s), not so many with loyalty DNA.
 
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Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
920
1,581
93
If all these guys were to go elsewhere because we bring in one guy - probably not the guys you want.
That’s true, it’s a two way street. Bachman are coming in similarly ranked in their class as Zepeda, who hasn’t really proven anything in college yet. It takes confidence from him if he commits to us knowing the guys coming in a few years. Michigan is probably the safest route for him, and still get a big bag.
 

MALOS

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2024
321
1,011
88
I think you’re foolish not take Zepeda. He can start the next two years while someone redshirts. These kids are all growing still, like Block, and it will all fall in place. U of Iowa offers a great education, atmosphere, and campus — if someone doesn’t make the lineup, then they will make someone else on the team better. Penn State has a second and third string team that would start at other schools. Let’s not make it a problem until it’s a problem. It’s foolish to think these projected weight plans won’t change 10 times from now until they land on campus. Our need is now, fill it.
 

Nearfall2

Redshirt
Dec 22, 2016
15
25
13
Zepeda goes the next two years at 149 Block bumps 157; Joey finished HS and takes a RS those two years. The following year Joey and Zepeda decide where they go, one goes 149, the other 157, Freddy takes a grey shirt. Following year after that, Freddy in RS and Zepeda finishes his last year....it's doable.

The two that are going to get squeezed whether Zepeda comes or not are Dawson and Shamus. Amato hopefully grows into a 165, otherwise there's some juggling there too.
That won’t work anymore for next years freshmen if the 5 in 5 rule goes through. All freshmen will want to start so they can compete all 5 seasons. No red shirts so getting kids that immediately plug in will be the norm. For the record I would prefer a 4 in 5 rule like it was and get rid of medicals. Olympic year only if not enrolled in school and truly training for Olympics.
 
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UNIHawk

Senior
May 2, 2025
299
848
93
I think you’re foolish not take Zepeda. He can start the next two years while someone redshirts. These kids are all growing still, like Block, and it will all fall in place. U of Iowa offers a great education, atmosphere, and campus — if someone doesn’t make the lineup, then they will make someone else on the team better. Penn State has a second and third string team that would start at other schools. Let’s not make it a problem until it’s a problem. It’s foolish to think these projected weight plans won’t change 10 times from now until they land on campus. Our need is now, fill it.
Kaleb Young cut to 157; Kemerer bumped two weight classes.....it can be worked.
 

luthius dagan

Senior
Jun 30, 2025
132
584
93
Bachman competed at 150 this year. Trying to predict a log jam 2.5 years in advance is crazy
Not just him. Dawson Youngblut, Bobby Duffy, and Israel Borge all competed at 144, plus Sonny Amato at 150 and Joey Bachmann at 152. That’s 5 of our 11 commits in the 141/149/157 range. Hopefully 1 goes 165, but there’s already an “odd man out” in that group of 5, let alone if we transfer in a Zepada. That could some of them decommit just because they won’t see the lineup.
 
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bnicolls

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2005
193
1,476
93
ok. fine. they'll all stay.

you believe that?

also - they are not 50ish types ffs.
I'm shocked you're posting during church time, or did you go last night? Glad you're not a lite beer guy, nor am I but my limit is likely 20% of your intake.

I don't think Fred Sr would be upset at me sharing this, but Joe cut to the weight he wrestled at this year to fill a hole for his team. He's growing. I would expect 165 to even 174 for Iowa as a freshman.
 

maxpain

All-American
Jul 6, 2006
1,986
6,582
113
ok. fine. they'll all stay.

you believe that?

also - they are not 50ish types ffs.
My bad I must have looked at old rankings. Duffy and Youngblut was who I was referring to.

As for whether or not they stay, I don’t know. Statistically speaking it’s unlikely in this era. I just don’t think stressing about fits for middleweights who are in HS is necessary. It’s not like they are a career 125 or 197/285 who can’t move around as much.
 

WillieTheBrain

All-Conference
Jun 29, 2025
249
1,554
93
I'm shocked you're posting during church time, or did you go last night? Glad you're not a lite beer guy, nor am I but my limit is likely 20% of your intake.

I don't think Fred Sr would be upset at me sharing this, but Joe cut to the weight he wrestled at this year to fill a hole for his team. He's growing. I would expect 165 to even 174 for Iowa as a freshman.
i can't walk. no house of the lord today.

also i don't drink a lot. just often.

i get hammered on 5 beers. it's awesome
 

MALOS

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2024
321
1,011
88
Not just him. Dawson Youngblut, Bobby Duffy, and Israel Borge all competed at 144, plus Sonny Amato at 150 and Joey Bachmann at 152. That’s 5 of our 11 commits in the 141/149/157 range. Hopefully 1 goes 165, but there’s already an “odd man out” in that group of 5, let alone if we transfer in a Zepada. That could some of them decommit just because they won’t see the lineup.
I fully believe that each of these kids believe they will be the starter. I doubt they decommit because someone else is at their weigh. If so, wouldn’t they have already done so — you just said 5 of them are at three weights. Two of them are already over 149 as high school juniors.
You mean we might actually have two guys competing for one spot? That’s an insane concept 😂
 
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