Hawkeye football players are enjoying a few weeks off before they get back to the offseason grind. As we prepare for the 2025 season, it’s important to take a look at some players that could potentially help change the potential of next year’s team.
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Hawkeye football players are currently enjoying some downtime before the offseason ramps back up. As the 2025 season approaches, it’s a good time to spotlight potential difference-makers on the roster. After starting the series with defensive end Max Llewellyn, the focus now shifts to sophomore wide receiver Reece Vander Zee.
The Iowa native wasted no time making an impact in his college debut, pulling in five receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois State. That performance made him the first true freshman Hawkeye to catch a touchdown in a season opener since Dominique Douglas in 2006 and the first to record two receiving touchdowns in a game since Ihmir Smith-Marsette did so against Iowa State in 2017.
It was the kind of breakout that builds early confidence—not just for the player, but for the coaching staff as well.
“He stepped in and made some impressive plays, like the one he caught over the middle heading toward the north end zone,” said assistant head coach Seth Wallace. “Those were big-time plays. So we weren’t surprised. Performing like that in a college game speaks volumes about Reece.”
However, the rest of the season presented more challenges for Vander Zee. He finished the year with nine catches for 110 yards and one additional touchdown and also missed time due to a foot injury—typical ups and downs for a young athlete.
His offseason focus was clear: get healthy and bulk up. Vander Zee reportedly added 10 to 15 pounds of muscle, which should help him better handle physical press coverage on the outside. Last season, defenders could knock him off his routes; this year, that may no longer be the case.
Iowa is aiming to revamp its passing attack this season, with more vertical routes and deeper receiver depth. For that transformation to happen, they’ll need a breakout performer—and Vander Zee appears to be a prime candidate. He’s one of the first true “X” receivers the Hawkeyes have had in recent years.
His coaches took notice of the way he attacked his first offseason, developing good habits that carried over into more reps and playmaking opportunities as a freshman.
After showing flashes of his potential last fall, Vander Zee could be a key figure in changing the narrative around Iowa’s aerial game.
“My next step is learning to use my size and strength, being more physical at the line, and staying sharp in my route-running,” Vander Zee said this spring. “It’s been exciting to make plays in practice and to see our group come together.”
“Last year, I felt like a deer in the headlights coming into camp. Now, it’s been fun to test new things and have a deeper understanding of how to adjust based on coverages. It makes all the difference.”
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