Expert Prediction For Iowa's Breakout Player In 2025 Will Excite Fans

The Iowa Hawkeyes have always been known as a "grind it out" team in the Kirk Ferentz era. Especially on offense, they beat down their opponents with physicality at the point of attack, a strong runner in the backfield and a traditionally elite offensive line.

That's just how the Hawkeyes have done things under Ferentz, though there have been some campaigns that have seen more of a passing attack develop, especially because of the play-action.

In recent years Iowa's passing attack has been underdeveloped, to say the least, though. That's why Ferentz hired a new offensive coordinator, Tim Lester, to bring more of an NFL feel to the Hawkeyes' offense. He also brought him in to help expand Iowa's passing game down field.

As such, David Eickholt of Hawkeye Insider is expecting a wide receiver — of all positions — to be the Hawkeyes' breakout player of 2025. In a recent interview with Cody Nagel of CBS Sports, Eickholt relayed that he's expecting big things from sophomore wideout Reece Vander Zee this season.

"I'm looking at Reece Vander Zee," Eickholt said when asked to name a breakout player. "I think this is the first true 'X' they've had probably since Brandon Smith (2017-2020). Vander Zee kind of broke out early on last season, had a pair of touchdowns in Iowa's first game. And the real thing is had to adjust to the physicality of college football. He was about 6-4, 205. ... He's added 15 pounds. He's 100% healthy."

Vander Zee is a big and tall wideout from Rock Rapids, Iowa, who had a very intriguing freshman campaign. He started in eight games as a freshman and played in nine. He caught just 14 passes for 176 yards, but he did catch three touchdowns. As Eickholt mentioned, two of those touchdowns came in one game.

Iowa's staff was obviously high on Vander Zee since he was the first true freshman to start a game since 2022 and one of only seven freshman wide receivers to ever start with Ferentz as head coach.