Iowa Hawkeyes' Towering Weapon Facing Make or Break Season

Last year, there was considerable buzz surrounding one particular Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver heading into 2024 campaign: Reece Vander Zee.

The towering 6-foot-4 weapon was an incredibly intriguing in-state commit who was largely viewed as an integral part of the offense before last season. And you know what? Early on, he flashed major potential, logging four catches for 66 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the season opener.

After that, though, Vander Zee fell off the map, and by the end of the campaign, he had totaled just 14 receptions for 176 yards and three scores.

Now, Vander Zee is entering a pivotal sophomore year, and this time around, he should actually have competent quarterback play from Mark Gronowski, who transferred to Iowa over the winter.

While the jury is still out on Gronowski, who was wildly successful at South Dakota State, this much is clear: Vander Zee is facing a make-or-break season at Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes have experienced tremendous difficulty finding good receivers in recent years, and Vander Zee was perceived as one of the more talented players they have had at the position in quite some time. For as much as we can excuse his 2024 performance due to a poor quarterback situation, his numbers were disappointing regardless.

Heading into 2025, there is no reason why Vander Zee shouldn't be Iowa's top wide receiver, with his top competitors coming in the form of Jacob Gill, Jarriett Blue and transfer addition Sam Phillips.

Gronowski has impressive arm talent and should be able to find Vander Zee on a variety of different routes. We should be able to find out early on in the season if Vander Zee is the real deal, and if he fails to produce yet again, then it might be time for the Hawkeyes to start examining other options, and it wouldn't even be surprising if Vander Zee considers transferring.

For now, though, everyone needs to give the Rock Rapids, Ia. native a chance.

Read More Iowa Hawkeyes Coverage