UNI football focusing on homegrown talent

Panthers sign 21, including 19 from Iowa

UNI football coach Mark Farley walks on the field before last season’s game. Farley said Wednesday he signed 21 players from Iowa (Associated Press)

CEDAR FALLS — UNI football coach Mark Farley wants to continue building the Panthers from the ground up.

That’s why he’s excited about the newest class of 21 recruiting members, especially the 19 high school athletes.

“We wanted to focus on the future of UNI football by welcoming as many freshmen as ever,” Farley said in a news release. We’ve nurtured them over the years and made them five-star players. ”

The class also has two transfers, including ex-Cedar Rapids Xavier Prep Josh Volk from Iowa via the transfer portal.

Iowa has 8 players, 5 linebackers, 4 offensive and defensive linemen, 3 defensive backs, 2 wide receivers, 1 quarterback, 1 defensive end, We have one tight end.

A 6-foot-4-inch offensive lineman, Volk was on the Hawkeyes roster for two seasons. He has appeared in his two games in 2021. He also served as an All-State lineman for the Saints on two occasions.

Other Gazette area players in the class are West Delaware All-State offensive lineman Luke Les and Mount Vernon All-State defensive lineman Bradley Vislisel.

Other in-state signatories are Council Bluffs QB Braylon Kamrad, Hartley Melvin Sanborn DL Lance Berens, Spencer OL Caleb Kline, Mediapolis DB Anthony Eisley and Crestwood DL Zach Memmert.

Out of state recruits are LB Tyson Cooreman of Randolph, Minnesota, DL Magnus Wright of Champlin, Minnesota, and OL Jackson Stortz of Hartford, Wisconsin. TE Carsten Bluhm and LB Brogan Ling of Lincoln, Nebraska; LB Sam Reddinger of Morris, IL; WR Grant Larkin and LB Cole Dutkovich of Naperville, IL; DB Alonzo Morgan III of Leawood, Kansas; and WR Jaiden Ellis-Lahey of Bethlehem, PA. DB Jonathan Cabral Martin, DB Jonathan Cabral Martin of Limbrook, NY, LB Malik Stewart of Eldorado, Kansas (via Butler Community College), and DE Andre Morris Jr. of Tampa, FL.