Alyssa HertelDes Moines Register
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Each year, it seems like the talent level in Iowa high school football can’t get any better.
Then the senior class graduates, a new group of players take their place and the talent pool just gets deeper and deeper.
In every corner and every class, talented players emerge each season and lead their respective teams. Some are among the top college recruits in the state. Others put together impressive résumés without the promise of bright lights on bigger stages in the future.
Every year, there is a debate about the best players. Are they all confined to Iowa’s largest classes? Can 8-player athletes stand up to the big dogs? Where do punters and offensive linemen fit in the mix?
That’s where the Des Moines Register’s third-annual Iowa High School Football Top-100 enters the conversation.
This list was pieced together by the staff writers from the Register, Iowa City Press-Citizen and Ames Tribune, and we studied feedback from coaches and recruiting analysts, as well.
More: Ranking the top 50 Iowa high school football recruiting prospects in the 2024 class
First, we figured out the top 100, then we ranked the top 100.
Our full results are below. Players from all seven of Iowa’s classes made the cut, and the list includes top recruits, statistical stars, multitool athletes and under-the-radar performers.
If you’ve looked at the Register’s top 50 recruits in 2024 or top 25 recruits for 2025, you may notice that some of those players are also on this list but in a different order. Recruits are often rated and ranked based on future outlook, how their skills translate to the college game and measurables.
The top 100 list takes those things into account. But we also look at players who might not be what college coaches are looking for, are being recruited for another sport, or just have a greater individual impact on their team’s success.
More: Introducing the top 25 Iowa high school football recruits in the 2025 class
1. Grant Brix, Logan-Magnolia
Senior. Offensive tackle. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. One of the top all-around prospects in the country. Physically ready for the college game, at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds. Helped his offense to 1,923 rushing yards and 465 receiving yards in 2022.
2. Thomas Meyer, Clear Lake
Junior. Defensive line. Returning All-Iowa selection. A well-sized (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) defender with a skillset that’s attractive to college coaches. Recorded 38 tackles and 10 tackles for loss as a sophom*ore. Holds offers from Iowa and Iowa State, among others.
3. Nick Brooks, Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Junior. Offensive tackle. Transferred back into Iowa after playing high school football in Georgia. A 6-foot-8, 385-pound menace who could be the biggest difference maker for Kennedy’s offense. Four-star recruit with offers from Iowa, Georgia, LSU and others.
4. Cody Fox, East Buchanan
Senior. Offensive line. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. Anchored an offensive line that amassed 4,315 rushing yards last season, the most in the state. A four-star recruit who is committed to Iowa.
5. Preston Ries, Monticello
Senior. Linebacker. Returning All-Iowa selection. A Swiss Army knife athlete. Amassed 3,964 total yards on offense — 2,543 passing, 1,421 rushing — and 41 touchdowns. Led the Panthers with 65 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Committed to Iowa.
6. Derek Weisskopf, Williamsburg
Senior. Linebacker. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. An absolute workhorse who led a state finalist team that boasted the second-best scoring defense in Class 2A. Iowa commit who recorded 59.5 tackles and six interceptions. Added 628 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns as a tight end, too.
More: Q&A: Williamsburg's Derek Weisskopf breaks down Iowa football commitment, multi-sport success
7. Cam Buffington, Winfield-Mt. Union
Senior. Linebacker. Returning All-Iowa selection. Another do-it-all athlete who led the Wolves in rushing yards (1,484), total tackles (95.5), interceptions (3) and two-point conversions (15). A four-star recruit headed to Iowa.
8. Brevin Doll, ADM
Senior. Running back. Returning All-Iowa selection. Ball magnet with 1,475 rushing yards, 640 receiving yards and 33 total touchdowns against some of the toughest competition in Class 3A. Iowa football commit.
9. Drew Campbell, Cedar Falls
Senior. Defensive line. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. Defense seems to come naturally in the Campbell family. The fast-rising defensive star — and an Iowa commit — recorded 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks on a Class 5A squad that advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2022.
10. Jacob Simpson, Johnston
Senior. Tight end. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. Towering mismatch of a tight end. Caught 40 passes for 559 yards and six touchdowns, helping the Dragons to their first appearance in the UNI-Dome. Minnesota football commit.
11. Zay Robinson, West Des Moines Valley
Junior. Wide receiver. Rising star who seemingly gets better with every game. Hauled in 36 catches for 409 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers’ second option. Collected offers from Iowa, Iowa State and Colorado, plus a few others.
More: WDM Valley's Zay Robinson speaks on Deion Sanders, recruiting, and winning a state title
12. Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon
Senior. Wide receiver. Returning All-Iowa selection. Helped the Lions to state titles in football and basketball during the 2022-23 season. Recorded 768 yards and 10 touchdowns on 32 receptions, and added 22 total tackles and four interceptions — including a pick-six. Iowa commit.
13. Connor Moberly, Southeast Polk
Senior. Quarterback. Threw 1,954 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season as a starter. Top-60 quarterback recruit nationwide. Second-straight top-ranked senior quarterback in Iowa to commit to Iowa State.
14. Malachi Curvey, Waukee
Junior. One of the top 350 recruits in the country for the 2025 class. Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri are currently after his commitment. Recorded 21 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a sophom*ore.
15. Mason Woods, Iowa City West
Junior. Reliable contributor on offense and defense. Caught 19 passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns last season. Had 21 tackles on defense. Iowa (where father LeVar Woods coaches) is one of a handful of programs recruiting Woods.
16. Kyle Rakers, Dowling Catholic
Senior. Offensive line. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. Gritty, 6-foot-4, 280-pound prospect who helped the Maroons compile over 2,000 rushing yards and 2,000 receiving yards in 2022. Committed to Kansas State.
More: Q&A: Kyle Rakers on Dowling football, Kansas State commitment and relationship with Grant Brix
17. Keaton Roskop, Linn-Mar
Senior. Tight end. A 6-foot-3, 215-pound player who is built to be a collegiate tight end. Hauled in 20 catches for 415 yards and eight touchdowns. Starred on defense with 38.5 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and a sack. Committed to Iowa State.
18. Carson Bruhn, Sioux Center
Senior. Tight end. Kansas football commit who managed 136 receiving yards and two touchdowns on a run-first roster a season ago. A 6-foot-6, 230-pound threat on both sides of the ball, who had 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season.
19. Ty Cozad, Muscatine
Senior. Running back. All-Iowa honorable mention. Accounted for 85% of Muscatine’s offense on the ground in 2022. Ran for 2,079 yards and 20 touchdowns against a difficult regular season schedule. Offers to play college ball from Navy, Brown and others.
20. Joey VanWetzinga, Pleasant Valley
Junior. Defensive line. A menace on the football field and on the wrestling mat. Recorded 24 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks on a defense packed with talented players. Iowa’s first commit in the 2025 class.
21. Alex Manske, Algona
Junior. Quarterback. Completed 57% of his passes for 1,688 yards and 14 touchdowns. Added 407 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect with a strong and accurate arm, which has attracted offers from Iowa, Pittsburgh and a few others.
22. Dreshaun Ross, Fort Dodge
Sophom*ore. Need-to-know name who is 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and pure muscle. Credited with 46 total tackles in his freshman year of high school football. A world-class wrestler whose success at the state tournament helped him to a handful of football offers.
23. Titus Cram, Bondurant-Farrar
Senior. Running back. Returning All-Iowa selection. Physical and strong runner who recorded 1,279 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground last season. Added two more scores in the air. Threw down 34 tackles on defense, as well.
More: What we learned from the first week of Iowa high school football practice
24. Jack Limbaugh, Algona
Junior. Edge. Shot up recruiting rankings in the offseason, and collected offers from Iowa, Iowa State and others. Twenty-one tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack as a sophom*ore.
25. Brody Clubb, Clear Creek Amana
Junior. Edge. Quiet contributor on offense. Not-so-quiet menace on defense. Recorded 44 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks last season. Recently landed an offer from Iowa State.
26. Will Hawthorne, Gilbert
Junior. A two-way star on the rise. Ran the ball 113 times for 439 yards and five touchdowns. Added 200 yards and two touchdowns in the air. One of Gilbert’s top defenders, with 56 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
27. Jake Peters, Cedar Falls
Senior. Offensive line. Returning All-Iowa selection. Nebraska football commit coming in at 6-foot-3, 265 pounds. Relentless protector who allowed the Tigers offense to run for 1,787 yards and pass for over 900 more in 2022.
28. Nick Denning, AHSTW
Senior. Defensive back. Returning All-Iowa selection. A catalyst for the Vikings. Contributed 266 yards and seven touchdowns as a receiver. Dominant with 112.5 total tackles. Picked off opposing quarterbacks five times.
29. DJ Vonnahme, Kuemper Catholic
Senior. Quarterback. The Knights are better when he has the ball in his hands. Threw for 1,339 yards and 20 touchdowns, and he added 380 yards and nine more scores with his feet. Caught one touchdown pass. Walk on at Iowa.
30. Drew Miller, Mediapolis
Senior. Punter. Returning All-Iowa Elite selection. The No. 1-rated punter in the country for the 2024 class. Averaged 48 yards per punt last season. Even threw one touchdown pass, and will take over as the Bulldogs’ quarterback this year.
More: Mediapolis football's Drew Miller talks Georgia commitment as nation’s top high school punter
31. Augustine Sleh, Des Moines North
Senior. Linebacker. Northern Illinois commit who gets better with each snap. Recorded 36.5 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss last season.
32. Will Tompkins, Cedar Falls
Junior. Part of a powerful offensive line. Measured 6-foot-4, 220 pounds as a sophom*ore. Protected the Tigers' run-first offense to 2,703 total yards — 1,787 rushing, 916 receiving — last season.
33. Louden Grimsley, Lawton-Bronson
Junior. Wide receiver. Recorded 601 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on a throw-first offense that split targets between six main players as a sophom*ore. Holds offers from Northern Iowa, Indiana and Miami (Ohio).
34. Ben Gordon, Van Meter
Senior. Running back. Anchored a run-heavy roster with 1,734 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns as a junior. Scored three receiving touchdowns, as well.
35. Parker Thomas, Sheldon
Senior. Offensive line. Rising recruit who helped his offense to over 2,000 total yards — 1,765 rushing and 390 passing in 2022. A contributor on defense, too.
36. Graham Eben, Central Lyon
Senior. Safety. All-Iowa honorable mention. Managed 1,330 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns while playing alongside one of the best utility players in Iowa a season ago. Speedy, stand-up safety who had 28.5 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Slated to be a walk-on at Iowa.
More: West Des Moines Valley football returns stars on offense. The biggest question for the team? QB.
37. Curtis Witte, Lewis Central
Senior. Wide receiver. Amassed 998 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on one of the most talent-packed rosters in the state last season. Added 29 tackles as a defensive back.
38. Will Stobbe, Waukee
Senior. Offensive line. A 6-foot-4, 270-pound North Dakota commit. Protected a freshman quarterback who threw for 1,242 yards and a running back group that added over 1,000 more yards on the ground a season ago.
39. Parker Getter, Glenwood
Senior. Offensive tackle. Anchored an offensive line that amassed 4,114 total yards — 2,321 passing, 1,793 rushing — and 51 touchdowns as a junior.
40. Jayden McGregory, West Des Moines Valley
Sophom*ore. Wide receiver. An all-around athlete who adjusts well to whatever position he plays, and did a bit of everything during his freshman year at Des Moines North.
More: West Des Moines Valley football returns stars on offense. The biggest question for the team? QB.
41. Braden McShane, New Hampton
Senior. Linebacker. Returning All-Iowa selection. A one-man wrecking crew on both sides of the ball. Ran for 1,733 yards and 22 touchdowns. Third on the team with 38.5 tackles, including five tackles for loss and two sacks.
42. Jaxon Cherry, Webster City
Senior. Running back. Returning All-Iowa selection. More than held his own against tough competition in Class 4A. Accounted for most of the Lynx’s offensive production: 1,804 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns. Led the team with 61 total tacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
43. Corder Noun Harder, Lynnville-Sully
Senior. Utility. Returning All-Iowa selection. Did a bit of everything on offense and defense, but starred with the ball in his hands. Ran for 1,896 yards and 27 touchdowns. Recorded two pick-sixes on defense.
44. Connor Welsch, Ankeny Centennial
Senior. Defensive back. One of the Jaguars' top returners on defense, with 33.5 tackles. Added one fumble recovery and one interception. Starting to creep onto college radars.
45. Dayne Mauk, Dallas Center-Grimes
Senior. Linebacker. All-Iowa honorable mention. An absolute dominant defender. Recorded a team-high 86 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and six sacks. Picked up one fumble recovery and one interception, as well.
46. Elijah Porter, Ankeny Centennial
Senior. Running back. Consistent contributor on offense. Led the Jaguars with 766 rushing yards and ten touchdowns. Added 227 receiving yards and another touchdown.
More: Elijah Porter was a star for Ankeny Centennial football in 2022. His 2023 season could be better
47. Abram Edwards, Winfield-Mt. Union
Senior. Tight end. A solid-sized rising star at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds. Carried the ball 56 times for 339 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. Completed 31 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns. Had 26 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on defense.
48. Jonah Reiling, Lisbon
Senior. Offensive line. North Dakota commit who allowed his offense to pass for 1,379 yards and rush for 1,386 last season. On defense, recorded 15.5 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and a sack.
More: Johnston quarterback Will Nuss flew under the radar in 2022. Now, he has a target on his back
49. Will Nuss, Johnston
Junior. Quarterback. Completed over 50% of his passes for 2,259 yards and 23 touchdowns in his first real season on varsity. Helped the Dragons to their first UNI-Dome appearance in school history.
50. Jamison Poe, Ames
Junior. Running back. Bounced back from an injury during his freshman year to record 870 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophom*ore. Added 319 receiving yards and five more scores.
51. Garret Rutledge, Lewis Central
52. Brennen Blegen, Benton
53. Ben Kampman, Solon
54. Tono Cornell, Iowa City High
55. Caden Hotz, Waverly-Shell Rock
56. Tate Lyon, Pleasant Valley
57. Michael Rumley Greene County
58. Teague Smith, Fort Madison
59. Cade Sears, Harlan
60. Aiden Flora, ADM
61. Brett White, Solon
62. Jackson Jaspers, Mount Vernon
63. Keegan Nystrom, Waterloo West
64. Dante Hedrington, Atlantic
65. Calvin White, Cedar Rapids Kennedy
66. Sam Watts, Linn-Mar
67. Harrison Tripp, Norwalk
68. Chase Lamb, Waukee Northwest
69. Kaden Amigon, Columbus
70. Jack Wallace, Iowa City West
71. Trey Wilson, Dowling Catholic
72. Draven Woods, Southeast Polk
73. Eddie Becu, Xavier
74. Eli Rouse, Ballard
75. Charlie Watts, Roland-Story
76. Drew Larson, Iowa City High
77. Jackson Burlage, Nevada
78. Kyler Gerardy, North Scott
79. Gavin Kramer, Northeast
80. Joey Rhomberg, Mount Vernon
81. Colton Rasmussen, Atlantic
82. Wyatt DeWitt, Indianola
83. Breckin Clatt, Colo-NESCO
84. Eric McGill, Woodbury Central
85. Kade McElwaine, MFL MarMac
86. Trent Cakerice, Grundy Center
87. Jace Borcherding, Xavier
88. Curtis Horras, Dowling Catholic
89. Brayden Harmon, Southeast Polk
90. Porter Doggett, Van Meter
91. Reed Pfaltzgraff, Bondurant-Farrar
92. Broderick Lee, Mason City
93. Logan Wright, West Branch
94. Ashton Honore, Iowa City West
95. Mason Knipp, Columbus Catholic
96. Colton Leichty, WACO
97. Drew Kluender, Woodbury Central
98. Garrett Watts, Montezuma
99. Tate Jirovsky, Grundy Center
100. Lance Coon, Humboldt
Alyssa Hertel is thecollege sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.