Drew Clark, a 2-star offensive lineman from Marion High School, committed to the Hawkeyes on Friday morning.
“I like the atmosphere on game day,” Clark gave as a reason he chose Iowa over Iowa State. “I’ve been to a few games, so I know what that’s about. I got to know everyone from the players to coaches to support staff, and they’re all first-class people. I feel like I’d fit in.”
The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder also had a scholarship offer from the cross-state Cyclones and strong interest from Kansas and Purdue. He was a first-team all-state pick in Class 3A after helping Marion to an 8-2 record last fall and is rated the sixth-best senior-to-be in Iowa by Web site Rivals.com.
“It’s not only his football skills, he has great feet,” Marion coach Tony Perkins said. “He’s 6-4, 280 pounds and has just great balance and great feet. He’s not only our best lineman, but he’s a pulling guard, so we ask him to do a lot of different things, rather than just drive somebody off the ball.”
Clark, whose uncle, Craig Clark, played tight end at Iowa from 1984 to ’87, joins receiver Jordan Cotton and running back Brad Rogers as the players known to have given Iowa their commitments. Cotton, from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, announced his commitment Wednesday. Rogers, of Toledo, Ohio, was the first to commit to Iowa this spring.
Iowa did have a verbal from West Des Moines Valley offensive lineman David Barrent, but just this week Barrent pulled his commitment and announced he will instead accept a scholarship offer from Michigan State. Barrent said the off-field legal issues that have plagued the Hawkeyes the past 15 months played a part in his decision.
Perkins said Clark is a player and person who will only help mend the Iowa football team’s tainted image.
“More important than his football skills is the type of person he is,” Perkins said. “He’s the type of kid you’d love your daughter to date. He’s a 4.0 student, going into engineering. That was a big part of his decision to go to Iowa. He’s just a quality young man.”
In light of Barrent’s reversal, the Iowa coaching staff extended another scholarship to an instate player Wednesday night: Decorah offensive lineman Brett Van Sloten. It was the first offer for Van Sloten, a 6-7, 255-pounder who plays tight end for his high school team. Iowa State also is showing strong interest in Van Sloten, whose father played for the Cyclones in the early 1980s.
Van Sloten, who is getting interest from several other regional schools, said he doesn’t plan to make a decision until after his high school season this fall.
Two other players from the state are expected to make their college choices in the next month. Cedar Rapids Washington wideout Keenan Davis and Sioux City Heelan running back Brandon Wegher both are rated 4-star prospects by Rivals. Each has narrowed his list to five. Davis will choose from Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arizona State. Wegher is down to Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.
| Class of 2009 | |||||
| Here are the players known to have given verbal commitments to play football at Iowa starting in the fall of 2009: | |||||
| Name | Pos. | Rating | Height | Weight | Hometown |
| Brad Rogers | RB | *** | 5-10 | 230 | Toledo, Ohio |
| Jordan Cotton | WR | *** | 6-1 | 170 | Mt. Pleasant, Iowa |
| Drew Clark | OL | ** | 6-4 | 280 | Marion, Iowa |
Contact Eric Page at (563) 383-2277 or epage@qctimes.com.
Comments
ronclop wrote on Aug 2, 2008 9:47 AM:
" 6'1 255 WRONG INFO. iLINI THOUGHT TO SLOW AND SMALLISH.
SCOUTS INC. "
SCOUTS INC. "
