Iowa football 2026 recruiting target nears commitment date

As the Hawkeyes navigate through the summer, Iowa football is looking to add the final pieces to its 2026 recruiting class.

One name that Iowa fans should have on their radar is class of 2026 defensive back CJ Hester. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back is out of Cocoa High School in Florida and will announce his commitment on Tuesday, July 1.

Iowa offered Hester on Jan. 30 and the Hawkeyes managed to get Hester on campus recently for a June 20 official visit. The Hawkeyes are among the final six schools for Hester, alongside Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami and Syracuse.

Hester is regarded as the nation's No. 16 cornerback per On3. According to On3, Hester is the 121st-ranked player nationally and the No. 14 player from the Sunshine State. On3, Rivals and ESPN each rate Hester as a four-star prospect.

If Iowa adds Hester to its class on Tuesday, Hester would join Marcello Vitti and Ronnie Hill as defensive back commits in the Hawkeyes' 2026 class.

Iowa currently has 13 commits in its 2026 recruiting class and the class is ranked 37th nationally per On3.

Here's a look at Hester's junior season highlights with Cocoa High School.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF

This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football 2026 recruiting target nears commitment date