Iose Epenesa Commits to Hawkeyes

Legacy Recruit Following Father, Brothers to Iowa

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz talks with 2025 recruiting target Iose Epenesa (right) and his father, Epenesa Epenesa, practice on Aug. 10, 2024 in Iowa City. (Rob Howe/HN) /

IOWA CITY, Iowa - It was a shared moment that may have been the final piece in making his decision. Iose Epenesa smiled ear to ear as he listened to longtime Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz before Saturday's Kids Day practice at Kinnick Stadium. 

Maybe Epenesa was thinking about growing up the son of former Hawkeye Epenesa "Eppy" Epenesa. Perhaps the youngest in the family remembered his older brothers, AJ and Eric Epenesa, being recruiting by the program. 

Whatever he was thinking, Iose Epenesa looked delighted. So did his father, who stood next to him with a sizable grin. 

Thursday night, Eppy announced that the Epenesa tradition would live on in Iowa City. Iose Epenesa, a 2025 five-star defensive lineman from Edwardsville (IL) High, chose the Hawkeyes ahead of finalists Penn State, Missouri and Utah. 

He will get to play with Eric Epenesa, a junior linebacker, next fall. AJ Epenesa is beginning his fifth season with the NFL's Buffalo Bills. 

247 Sports ranks Iose as a five-star, the No. 16 player overall nationally in his class, the third-best DL and No. 1 in Illinois. Rivals and On3 view him as a four-star. 

Those scouting services all see Iose as the top player among the Hawkeyes' 14 known verbal commitments in the '25 cycle. 

2025 Iowa Verbal Commitments 

Joey VanWetzinga (OL/DL, Pleasant Valley)

Burke Gautcher (LB, Illinois)

Carson Cooney (LB, Illinois)

Jimmy Sullivan (QB, Indiana)

Eli Johnson (TE, Wisconsin)

Drew MacPherson (S, Illinois) 

Mason Woods (TE, Iowa City West) 

Cameron Herron (OL, Indiana) 

CJ Bell (CB, Connecticut) 

Lucas Allgeyer (OL, St. Louis) 

Brad Fitzgibbon (DL, Chicago)  

Thomas Meyer (TE, Clear Lake) 

Scott Starzyk (K, Texas) 

Iose Epenesa (DL, Illinois)