Iowa Offers Four-Star 2027 Guard

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI | By Lane Mills | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 1:35 PM ET

After adding his first official commitment in the 2026 class in the form of four-star forward Ethan Harris, Ben McCollum has wasted no time in beginning to build the class set to come after that one - which, already, is a season after the new coach's incoming debut this November.

McCollum and the Iowa Hawkeyes have officially offered four-star guard Jason Gardner Jr, out of the still-developing batch of 2027 recruits. Gardner, a combo guard out of Fishers, IN, comes in at 6'1, 185, and has already garnered interest from a wide range of high-level programs across the nation.

Gardner himself announced the Hawkeyes' offer on his X (Twitter) page.

Beyond blessed to receive an offer from the university of Iowa! Go Hawkeyes! AGTG pic.twitter.com/r0EWVBgVJp
— Jason Gardner Jr (@Jasongardnerjr) September 21, 2025

Of the 2027 class, Gardner Jr. is ranked 26th nationally on 247Sports' latest list; on their composite ranking, he slates in just two spots lower, in 28th. Regarding more precise placements, 247 currently has Gardner as the third best combo guard of the group, as well as the second-ranked recruit out of Indiana specifically.

The guard made a name for himself over the summer in the Pangos All-American Camp, where he scored in the double-digits on multiple occasions, tallied 10 assists and five boards in one game and consistently shot well over 50% from the field - in two separate matches, he went 1-1 and 2-2 from long range, respectively.

Gardner is both an efficient scorer and playmaker that has deservedly drawn the attention of not only the Hawkeyes, but other premier programs, such as Kentucky, Florida, Indiana, Louisville, Purdue and others.

Teams that have already extended an official offer, in addition to Iowa, include the aforementioned Boilermakers and Hoosiers, as well as Notre Dame, Creigton, Cincinatti and, again, a much longer list of potential suitors. It's safe to say that Gardner will have options when his eventual decision day comes, so what sets Iowa apart?

If Ben McCollum's reputation is to be believed, it'll likely be his ability as a coach to develop players and teams to compete on the highest possible level. Just last season, he led Drake to their second straight championship in the Missouri Valley Conference. Not only that, but the Bulldogs went on to upset the six-seed Missouri Tigers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in double-digit fashion.

Given his now-extended resources at a larger program and an early, proven hunger to build competitive rosters, Coach McCollum is carving the perfect suitor for a ball-dominant guard like Gardner Jr. in Iowa City. This preemptive offer is a good indicator that McCollum expects the Hawkeyes to be involved down the line.

Iowa fans can keep hopes high that the new staff will make a habit out of fielding, and landing, high-level talent, including the potential grab that would be Jason Gardner Jr.

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