On Monday, the Iowa Hawkeyes lost an important member of their 2026 recruiting class. Quarterbacks make the world go ’round in this day and age of football, so seeing one leave your stockpile is never good.
The Hawkeyes begrudgingly said goodbye to 3-star quarterback Cash Herrera from La Jolla, California, though. He had been committed to Iowa since October of 2024 and was even scheduled to take an official visit to Iowa City this upcoming weekend.
That likely won’t happen after his decommitment, though. He announced his decision on social media.
“First off, I would like to thank the staff at Iowa for believing in me. After long discussions with my family, I have decided to re-open my recruitment. I wish nothing but the best for the Iowa program in the future, Herrera wrote.
So where does that leave the Hawkeyes in 2026?
Right now, it’s a bit of an underwhelming class from a national standpoint, but that’s nothing new in Iowa City. Few programs are better at finding diamonds in the rough with 3-stars and turning those players into NFL prospects.
Still, Iowa has just nine players committed for 2026 now that Herrera is out and the class is ranked No. 51 in the nation.
Waterloo, Iowa, 4-star offensive tackle Carson Nielsen is still the Hawkeyes’ top-rated commit. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 21 offensive tackle in the nation, and he checks in at 6-foot-7, 275 pounds. Speaking of future NFL players, right?
One imagines the Hawkeyes will be right back on the trail looking for a 2026 quarterback. South Dakota State transfer Mark Gronowski is likely going to be a solid starter for Iowa this season, but he’ll be out of eligibility in 2026.
Behind him, Hank Brown (sophomore), Jackson Stratton (junior), Jeremy Hecklinski (redshirt freshman) and Jimmy Sullivan (freshman) all have intriguing eligibility remaining for 2026 and beyond.
Bringing in a quarterback via every recruiting cycle is a smart way of doing business, though, so expect the Hawkeyes to keep looking for a signal-caller to add to the 2026 class.
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