Iowa Football: 5 breakout freshmen to watch in 2018

Iowa has had issues with depth at wide receiver for the last six or seven seasons, dealing with inconsistency, injuries, departures among other things. For the 2018 season, the depth appears to be as good as it once was when Derrell Johnson-Kulianos and Marvin McNutt donned the black and gold. A key addition to the corp was Indianapolis-area prospect Tyrone Tracy.

Tracy, a high school running back, showcased many skills during his senior season at Decatur Central High School. The way he runs with the ball may remind some Hawkeye fans of running back Jermelle Lewis, who was a very a shifty running back during Iowa’s first dominant three-year run from 2002-04.

However, Tracy is playing wide receiver and his highlight tape shows that he has very reliable hands and compliments it with great speed. Tracy’s build is most similar to former Iowa receiver Damond Powell, a speed demon at receiver for the Hawkeyes in 2013-14. Tracy has the ability and the opportunity to see playing time as a freshman, joining fellow young receivers Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith in the rotation.