Iowa Hawkeyes, Kirk Ferentz Beat Out High-Profile Programs for New 4-Star Commit

Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes just landed a major win on the recruiting trail, bagging four-star offensive lineman Gene Riordan to add to a growing list of linemen for Iowa's 2026 class.

Even more impressive is the fact that Iowa beat out a handful of top schools for Riordan, including—and not limited to—Penn State, Auburn, Oklahoma and Iowa State, via David Eickholt of 247 Sports.

Riordan is the 21st-ranked interior offensive lineman and the 283rd-ranked player overall in 247 Sports' composite rankings. The Hinsdale, Il. native is the 14th-ranked player in the state of Illinois.

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound prospect joins Carson Nielson, Hudson Parliament, Owen Linder and Collin Whitters among the Hawkeyes' offensive line recruits for the class of 2026.

Iowa is typically not known for its offense, which has caused problems for the team in recent years. While the Hawkeyes have been very stingy defensively, their inability to consistently put points on the board has prevented them from truly reaching the upper echelon of teams in college football.

Recently, though, Iowa seems to be making more of a concerted effort to address its offensive issues, which we specifically saw in the transfer portal earlier this offseason when it snatched quarterback Mark Gronowski and wide receiver Sam Phillips.

Of course, we need to actually see the product on the field before we can officially say that the Hawkeyes have turned the corner, but it's certainly a sign of progress (or so we hope).

Iowa went 8-5 this past season, ultimately losing to the Missouri Tigers in the Music City Bowl.

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