The Iowa Hawkeyes have officially received a commitment from 2024 defensive back Jaylen Watson. One of Iowa’s top targets at defensive back, the three-star athlete from Toledo, Ohio, announced his intention to join the Hawkeyes Saturday evening on Twitter.
Watson chose Iowa over fellow finalists Minnesota, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Maryland.
A 5-foot-11, 175 pound athlete out of Central Catholic High School in Toledo, Ohio, Jaylen Watson is rated as a consensus three-star recruit across the four major recruiting services. 247Sports rates Watson as the nation’s No. 117 athlete and as the No. 34 player from Ohio.
On3 lists Watson as the 72 player from Ohio, while ESPN regards him as the No. 33 player from Ohio. Lastly, Rivals ranks Watson as the No. 19 player from Ohio.
BREAKING: Iowa gets a commitment from Toledo Central Catholic ATH Jaylen Watson, who earned a Hawkeye offer after competing as a DB at their camp.
The former WR says he’s 100% committed to the position change and knows Phil Parker can get him there. https://t.co/VElEmXTBDc pic.twitter.com/DUGrThKezb
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) July 8, 2023
Iowa became the favorite to land Watson after issuing an official offer on June 4 and rapidly picking up multiple recruiting predictions. As he stated in an interview with Inside the Hawkeyes’ Robe Howe, Iowa made a big impression during Watson’s official visit on June 23.
“I absolutely loved it and how everything is set up around the campus. Everyone was super welcoming and nice. I loved every second of being on the campus and walking around… This visit exceeded all of my expectations. Iowa is definitely a place I can see myself at,” Watson told Howe.
With that last sentence, it is certainly not a shock that Watson decided to become a Hawkeye today.
While others viewed Jaylen Watson as a wide receiver, Phil Parker and the Hawkeyes offered him as a defensive back. That seemingly set Iowa apart in this recruitment and appears like it’s part of what ultimately tipped the scales in a black and gold direction.
Watson joins Rashad Godfrey as a defensive back commit in the Hawkeyes’ 2024 class. Godfrey is a 6-foot-2, 185 pound defensive back out of Armwood High School in Seffner, Fla. He picked Iowa over offers from schools such as Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Duke, Boston College, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Tulane and North Dakota State.
With Watson’s pledge, Iowa now has 19 total commits in the 2024 class. Here’s a look at the newest Hawkeye’s junior season Hudl tape with Central Catholic. Plus, his full recruiting profile below!
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Jaylen Watson’s Recruiting Profile
| Stars | Overall | State | Position | |
| 247 | 3 | N/A | 34 | 117 |
| Rivals | 3 | N/A | 19 | N/A |
| ESPN | 3 | N/A | 33 | 113 |
| On3 Recruiting | 3 | N/A | 72 | 207 |
| 247 Composite | 3 | 1,173 | 49 | 126 |
Vitals
| Hometown | Toledo, Ohio |
| Projected Position | CB |
| Height | 5-11 |
| Weight | 175 |
| Class | 2024 |
Recruitment
- Offered on June 4
- Visited on June 23
- Committed on July 8
Other finalists
- Cincinnati
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- West Virginia
Twitter
I had a great time at the University of Iowa this past weekend for my Official Visit. Thank you to everyone that made the weekend special and making my family and I feel at home! #GoHawks🐤 pic.twitter.com/5REAS6obY2
— Jaylen “Big Play Jay” Watson (@JaylenWatson11) June 26, 2023
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