Iowa Football: Top 3 Way-Too-Early Breakout Candidates for 2022

Keagan Johnson, WR

Regardless of who lines up behind center in 2022, Iowa football will need to have a reliable and explosive receiver they can depend on in pivotal moments of the game. And Keagan Johnson feels to be the man for the job.

Last season, Johnson finished as the Hawkeyes’ second-leading receiver in terms of yards, and led the team in yards per reception with a whopping 19.6. He reeled in 352 yards on just 18 catches, cementing himself as the team’s number one deep threat.

While he only came down with two touchdowns in 2021, it was also his first year as a Hawkeye, and was still the second-most on the team. It probably didn’t help either that the team’s starting quarterback, Spencer Petras, threw just 10 touchdowns all year.

A Nebraska native, and son of a former Husker, Keagan Johnson bleeds football and was a highly-touted four-star recruit in high school. Joining Iowa football as the 23rd-ranked wide receiver in his class, and the 3rd-ranked prospect in the state of Nebraska, per 247 Sports.

So, he offers tons of upside at the position, and at 6’1″, 197-pounds, he’s already much bigger than your standard deep threat receiver. Combine that with his ability to take the top off opposing defenses, and Johnson should emerge as the sparkplug of the Iowa Hawkeye offense in 2022.

Iowa’s stud tight-end, Sam LaPorta, is returning to the team for his final senior year as a Hawkeye, and should remain one of the primary targets on offense.

But with neither Iowa quarterback throwing for more than 2,000 yards in 2021, this is an area that Iowa football will need to improve on next year and Keagan Johnson feels primed to take on a larger role, and truly breakout as a result.