Iowa Hawkeyes' New QB Receives Eye-Opening Prediction

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been searching far and wide for an answer at quarterback, and no matter what they have seemed to try over the years, they have not been able to find a solution at the position.

Things may be changing heading into 2025, though.

Iowa landed former South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski via the transfer portal over the winter, providing the Hawkeyes with the most exciting signal-caller they have had in quite some time.

Of course, Iowa also felt the same way when it landed Cade McNamara back in December 2022, so some caution needs to be exercised, but there is no doubt that things feel a bit different with Gronowski, who is unquestionably a more proven talent than McNamara ever was.

As a matter of fact, Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports has listed Gronowski among the Big Ten transfers most likely to make an instant impact next season.

"The latest hope at quarterback for the Hawkeyes," Fornelli wrote. "It didn't get much attention, but Iowa's offense was improved last season; it was just extremely reliant on Kaleb Johnson and the run game to be so. Gronowski was an extremely productive player at a strong FCS program in South Dakota State."

Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award for the FCS Player of the Year back in 2023 after throwing for 3,058 yards, 29 touchdowns and five interceptions while also punching in eight rushing scores. A shoulder injury inhibited him last season, but the 23-year-old is expected to be 100 percent by the time the 2025 campaign begins.

We'll see if Gronowski can finally pull Iowa's offense out of the doldrums.

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