Issues haven’t been trending nicely for the Hawkeyes on the sector of late as Iowa has misplaced three straight video games within the month of November. A whole lot of that has been associated to an offense that ranks nationally in manufacturing. However the protection has remained stout and ranks top-10 nationally in nearly each statistical class.

It comes as little shock, although maybe some consternation, that it’s the protection which continues to hit the bottom working on the recruiting path. The Hawkeyes have put collectively a borderline top-25 recruiting class in 2023, pushed largely by 9 defensive commitments.

Early Saturday morning/late Friday night time, simply hours earlier than the Hawkeyes play host to the Northwestern Wildcats, Phil Parker added to his haul within the class as Iowa added a dedication from Iowa Western Group Faculty defensive sort out Anterio Thompson.

Initially from Dubuque, Thompson is a bodily specimen, measuring in at 6’2” and 300 kilos. He’s the kind of huge physique blended with athleticism that Iowa has hardly ever seen and after they do, they usually solely see for a season or two.

Within the case of Thompson, that’s roughly according to his timeline as issues stand. A 2021 graduate of Dubuque Hempstead, Thompson took a redshirt his first season in Council Bluffs earlier than bursting onto the scene this yr. By way of seven video games, he’s racked up 17 tackles, 5.5 TFL and 4 sacks at DT for the Reivers.

Now, Thompson is about to graduate in December and enroll at Iowa in January with three years left to play for the Hawkeyes.

When he does be part of Iowa, he brings with him a physicality the Hawkeyes might want to substitute in the course of the defensive position with the commencement of Noah Shannon. The Hawkeyes have youth on the depth chart, nevertheless it’s potential we see a participant like Lukas Van Ness slide outdoors to interchange the graduating John Waggoner and Joe Evans creating a necessity for much more depth alongside Logan Lee and Jeremiah Pittman.

Past the sheer dimension and physicality, Thompson reveals nice explosion and burst on movie, giving him a mixture of skills within the go rush. He can blow previous slower linemen or overpower weaker ones. Arriving in January, Thompson ought to have a spring and fall camp to proceed growing his method and hand placement permitting him to right away issue into the rotation at defensive sort out in 2023.

With the addition of Thompson, Iowa now has 17 commitments within the class of 2023. It’s a category that now ranks twenty fifth nationally based on Rivals and thirtieth per 247 Sports activities. Thompson is Iowa’s tenth dedication on Parker’s protection. He joins fellow Iowan Maddux Borcherding-Johnson at defensive sort out. He’s iowa fourth dedication in whole on the defensive position, becoming a member of Colorado native Chase Brackney, Des Moines native David Caulker and Michigan native Kenny Marrieweather, all of whom are defensive finish prospects.

Whereas Thompson is about to play on Saturday, the Hawkeyes might be internet hosting practically two dozen highschool prospects for his or her homecoming matchup with Northwestern. Thompson could be the first of a number of weekend commitments for Iowa.

Welcome aboard Anterio Thompson!

Anterio Thompson
Ht: 6’2”
Wt: 295 lbs
Hometown: Dubuque, IA (Hempstead, Iowa Western CC)
Stars: 247 Sports activities – NR; Rivals – 3