BG Lands Potentially Significant OL Transfer from Iowa State

Beyond to be able to say I have committed to Bowling Green State University @CoachGregNosal pic.twitter.com/pAu3Whe7qs

— Hunter Deyo (@DeyoHunter) May 30, 2023

 Well, BG has landed a new transfer, and this one has the potential to be a big one.  Not just a big one...an important one.  Depending on how you feel about recruiting ratings, he's one of the best players we have had here in the era where we have ratings.

His name is Hunter Deyo, and he is transferring from Iowa State.  The Des Moines Register said that he was one of the top-rated recruits the Cyclones had ever had, for that matter.

He was rated with 4-stars and chose Iowa State over Iowa and Arkansas, among numerous other suitors. He was listed as the 38th-best defensive lineman nationally and fourth-best player in Iowa by 247Sports.  He was picked as the 26th-best defensive tackle nationally and fourth-best player in Iowa by Rivals and On3.  He was three-time first team all-state selection by the IPSWA and Des Moines Register and named to the 2021 Des Moines Register Elite Team.  As a senior, he tallied 4.5 tackles and 2.5 TFL in the state championship game… he also tallied 42.5 tackles, including 16 TFL, and ran for a touchdown in 2021 … led Class 3A in TFL (22.5) as a junior … also had 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks … amassed 45.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 26.5 TFL as a sophomore … tallied 43.5 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 13.5 TFL as a freshman.

Woof.  That's some production.  Now when he got to Ames, they moved him to the OL.  He didn't play at all his first year and then apparently didn't play in the Spring Game and then went into the portal.  His Twitter announcement (above) indicates he is still looking at the o-line.  At ISU, he was listed as 6'2" and 280.

O-line remains one of the biggest questions for the BG team.  The 2021 line was a nightmare.  BG was 11th in pass blocking and 12th in run blocking.  The 2022 line was better, but still far from championship level.  BG moved up from 9th in pass blocking and 11th in run blocking (via PFF). 

Jakari Robinson and Jalen Grant are gone from that line.  Cade Zimmerly was injured last year and Tunde Fatuski was in a split time role.  

But Deyo and Armon Bethea, both coming from P5 programs, have the potential to help get the line up to at least MAC average.  If running the ball is going to be a priority, run blocking has to get better.

Welcome to the Falcons, Hunter.