While the Iowa Hawkeyes are busy building their 2027 recruiting class, the coaching staff is already laying the groundwork for the future. On Thursday, they extended a significant offer to a promising young talent with deep family ties to the program.

Jace Montgomery, a 2028 offensive lineman from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced he has received a scholarship offer from Iowa after a conversation with offensive line coach George Barnett. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Montgomery is already drawing attention with offers from several programs, including Vanderbilt, Bowling Green, and Liberty.

What makes this offer particularly intriguing is the Montgomery family legacy in Iowa City. Jace is the son of former Hawkeye defensive lineman Jerry Montgomery. His older brother, Jayden Montgomery, is a senior linebacker for Iowa who started seven games in 2025 and is poised for a starting role in 2026. Another brother, Tevyn, is a student assistant working with the running backs. This deep-rooted connection gives Iowa a unique recruiting advantage, as Jace will have no shortage of firsthand endorsements about the program's culture and development.

For a young lineman, the chance to develop under Coach Barnett is a major selling point. Barnett has built a reputation for molding technically sound and physically dominant offensive lines, a cornerstone of Iowa's traditional, hard-nosed football identity. Securing a commitment from a legacy recruit like Jace Montgomery would be a powerful early statement for the 2028 class, signaling that the pipeline of talent and tradition in Iowa City is as strong as ever.