Analyzing Brooks’ withdrawal from Iowa and outlining our expectations for the recruiting process moving forward.
Nick Brooks, a four-star offensive lineman for Cedar Rapids Kennedy 2025, announced his decommitment from Iowa on Tuesday.
After making his September commitment to the Hawkeyes, Brooks attended every home game this autumn while in Iowa City. However, he decided to start recruiting after making an unofficial visit to Texas Tech this past weekend.
With Brooks’ commitment gone, Iowa’s 2025 class now has just two commits.
News: Nick Brooks, a four-star offensive lineman from Cedar Rapids Kennedy 2025, announced on Tuesday that he will decommit from the Hawkeyes and resume his recruitment, two months after committing to Iowa.
“I will be decommiting from the University of Iowa after speaking with my family,” Brooks tweeted. “My recruitment is still open 100 percent.”
In September, Brooks chose the Hawkeyes over a number of other schools, including Florida State, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. Although Brooks was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, he attended high school in Georgia for his first two years before coming back to play junior football at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
Brooks had previously stated that he moved back to eastern Iowa because he didn’t want to be apart from his family any longer. The Hawkeyes were strong candidates for Brooks once he returned to the 319.
“The coaching staff is excellent,” stated Brooks. “Kirk Ferentz is undoubtedly an offensive lineman. Having spent 24 years there, he is an expert on the offensive line. Since I moved back, Coach George Barnett and I have been developing our relationship even more. He is an excellent coach. We have a great conversation with Tyler Barnes.
Iowa made Brooks a priority as soon as he returned to Iowa.
“Get me to the league. That’s for sure,” Brooks said of Iowa’s message to him. “They want me to be the next Tristan Wirfs. They want me to be the best to come out of the state of Iowa.”
“It made me know that these guys really want me here. It’s a good place to go if I want to go there.”
With Brooks decommitting, Iowa’s 2025 class consists of Pleasant Valley three-star offensive lineman Joey VanWetzinga and Sycamore (Ill.) three-star linebacker Burke Gautcher.
Per 247Sports, Brooks is the No. 156 overall prospect in the 2025 class and the No. 15 offensive tackle in the country.
What it means: Brooks took an unofficial visit to Texas Tech this past weekend and the Red Raiders extended an offer to him. Brooks has been to every Iowa home game this fall an, but the visit to Lubbock this weekend might’ve led him to open up his recruitment look at the other options that are pursuing him heavily. That said, Iowa should still be in consideration for Brooks, but he is also going to keep an open mind throughout the rest of the process and visit other schools, too. Iowa loves what it has with its freshmen offensive line class along with the offensive line group in the 2024 cycle, but losing Brooks certainly stings. There is still a long way to go until signing day for the 2025 class, and I would anticipate this recruitment to take a couple more twist and turns.
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