Depth is extremely important to any college football team with championship aspirations. You can have the most talented starting lineup full of future NFL stars, but the players on the sideline are equally as important.
Football is a physical sport and injuries do happen. Without guys you can trust to come in and right the ship, an injury or two can derail your entire season.
This is especially true for Iowa football at the wide receiver position. Already an area of uncertainty, Iowa has experienced some horrendous injury luck. They went into the 2022 season shorthanded with starters banged up over the offseason, and then the backups picked up injuries as well. It was really bad last year. Iowa pretty much limped into the season. It made an uninspired offense look even worse.
This year, Iowa’s hoping their fortunes turn around. They have the new quarterback in Cade McNamara, and a pair of star tight ends to boot. Now, we just need to see which wide receiver will step up.
Though listed as a backup, walk-on Alec Wick might just push for more playing time this year. Impressing coaches this offseason, Wick can play a crucial role for Iowa this year. Here’s a look at Alec Wick ahead of the 2023 season.
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Alec Wick’s Preseason Player Profile
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 196
Class in 2022: Soph.
Recruiting Ranking
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Before Iowa
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City Press-Citizen via Imagn Content Services, LLC
- Earned first-team all-state and all-district honors as a junior and senior
- Four-year football letterman as wide receiver, defensive back and kicker
- Recorded 75 receptions for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior
Career Stats
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | WR | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| *2022 | Iowa | Big Ten | SO | WR | 10 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | |
| Career | Iowa | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | |||||
Depth Chart Overview
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Alec Wick is currently slated as the backup to starting wide receiver Diante Vines. With the Hawkeyes looking for another true starter alongside returning super senior Nico Ragaini, it should be an open competition at wide receiver. Also, with Iowa’s bad injury luck over the past year or two at the position, there’s always a good chance at playing time.
Quote Them
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I think Alec Wick has continued to come on dating back to last spring. This is a guy who has put together a really solid body of work over the past year. He has continued to improve and get better,” Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz said of Wick.
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