James Madison transfer Trent Wilson details commitment to Iowa football

IOWA CITY — In what has been an active transfer portal window for Iowa football, the Hawkeyes added to their offensive line room with the commitment of Trent Wilson.

Wilson appeared in all 14 games as a true freshman at James Madison last season, including one start. The Dukes made the College Football Playoff and finished the season 12-2 overall.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Iowa is losing three starters from its Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line last season. The Hawkeyes started the same five offensive linemen every game in 2025: Trevor Lauck, Beau Stephens, Logan Jones, Kade Pieper and Gennings Dunker. Stephens, Jones and Dunker are departing the program.

At the very least, Wilson gives Iowa more depth in that room next season as the Hawkeyes try to replace some serious experience and production.

Wilson is not the only player to transfer from James Madison to Iowa. Tyler Brown, who started all 14 games at free safety for the Dukes last season and ranked second on the team in total tackles with 80, is joining Wilson in Iowa City.

Wilson detailed his commitment to Iowa, providing typed responses via social media to the Register:

Note: Answers have been edited slightly for clarity and grammatical accuracy.

On why he committed to Iowa

“I committed to Iowa because of the culture. At Iowa, offensive linemen get sent to the NFL, and the team isn’t ‘flashy’ (like) other teams, they just want to win. On my visit, Iowa toured me around the facilities, which were amazing, but my favorite part was talking to the coaches. In the meeting, (offensive line coach George Barnett) spoke my language exactly. He spoke about the drive it takes to win and how their linemen play, and I immediately felt at home. Walking out of that meeting, I knew I was going to commit.”

More insight from Wilson on his commitment to Iowa

“As for JMU, and even my high school, I come from a winning culture. I knew what college I picked couldn’t be satisfied with a mediocre season. This also led me to picking Iowa, as they are one of the winningest programs in the Big Ten. Since I was young, I’ve dreamed of having a dedication to a college team, then going to the NFL. At Iowa, I feel I can make this happen. That’s why I’m committed.”

What Wilson learned from getting meaningful playing time on a winning team as a true freshman

“I learned (I) could play with anyone. Going into college, I was nervous that all the other athletes would be a lot bigger, faster, and stronger than me. At JMU, especially against Oregon (in the College Football Playoff), I proved that I can compete with anyone.”

Wilson describes his skillset

“Aggressive and intelligent. I’m going to give my all every play, all while knowing exactly what’s going on in the defense and seeing their movement. After I pick up the movement, I’ll make sure to put them on their back.”

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com