Iose Epenesa, a four-star 2025 move rusher and No. 114 nationally, has dedicated to Iowa State, as he introduced Thursday. Iose is a conventional recruit and is Epi Ebenezer and working again Eric Epenesa, the youthful brother of former Hawkeye AJ Epenesa.
A product of Edwardsville, Unwell., Epenesa selected the Hawkeyes over the remainder of his prime 5, which included Miami (Fla.), Missouri, Utah State and Penn State.
He paid official visits to every of the above-mentioned tasks.
Through the official go to course of, Epee labored arduous to ensure Eise bought every part he wanted from every go to and did not really feel stress to in the end select the Hawkeyes.
“I am an Iowan. I’ll all the time be an Iowan,” Epi informed PowerMizzou. “My children are usually not. I do not need my children to suppose I am forcing them to go there and never see past Iowa State. I need him to choose the place he matches and I need him to choose the coach he’ll go to I need him to decide on the place that is proper for him and that has to do with my children and nothing to do with me or my spouse.
In the meantime, Eppie hasn’t been shy about expressing his emotions concerning the Hawkeyes all through the recruiting course of, sharing issues like, “I’m a brilliant proud Hawkeye as a result of Kirk (Ferenz) The workers welcomed our son Iose and our household to Hawkeye Nation. Excited and proud, thanks Kirk and Hawkeye Soccer for an excellent weekend.
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Nonetheless, at varied phases of his recruitment, each Miami and Utah appeared to have probability of signing the youngest Epenesa.
After visiting Miami, he had this to say concerning the Hurricanes:
“It is simply that they’ve a household right here. Some colleges you are by yourself and that is mainly how you’re feeling. However right here, I simply really feel like there’s extra of a household facet. They like one another for essentially the most half. So it is good to see to that.
Nationwide recruiting analyst Greg Smith added on the potential for Epenesa touchdown in Dade County:
“Coached by a Corridor of Famer Jason Taylor Carrying quite a lot of weight, the Hurricanes did their finest to make Epenesa really feel like Miami was the place to be throughout his official go to.
Recruitment analyst Adam Gorney additionally expressed some ideas in June:
“[Iose}islookingforsomethingdifferentthewordisthatEpenesa’sbesttripsofarwasatUtahovertheweekend[Iose}正在尋找一些不同的東西,據說埃佩內薩迄今為止最好的旅行是在猶他州度過的周末。[Iose}islookingforsomethingdifferentthewordisthatEpenesa’sbesttripsofarwasatUtahovertheweekend
The Utes could possibly be a sneaky possibility right here.
Regardless of push from different colleges, the Hawkeyes relied on household connections, prior success and familiarity to land Epenesa.
Epenesa is the 14th prospect in Iowa’s 2025 recruiting class, which additionally consists of Scott Starzyk, Brad Fitzgibbon, Charles Bell, Drew MacPherson, Lucas Allgeyer, Cameron Herron, Mason Woods, Thomas Meyer, Eli Johnson, Jimmy Sullivan, Carson Cooney, Burke Gaucher and Joey Van Wezinga.