Players from Iowa with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 46% of roster spots in 2016 and 34% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 53 of 116 roster spots were filled by Iowa players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 38 of 111 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 1 to 9.
The median hometown distance moved from 187 mi in 2016 to 225 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 46.0% | 42.7% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 0.8% | 3.7% |
The 2026 roster
- 360 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 103 located players.
- 35.1%In-state35.1% of players with a known home state are from Iowa.
- 14.6%Backyard14.6% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 8.1%Previously rostered elsewhere8.1% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Iowa ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Iowa's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 111 | 35.1% | 8.1% | 225 mi |
| 2025 | 109 | 40.4% | 7.3% | 203 mi |
| 2024 | 130 | 43.8% | 4.6% | 203 mi |
| 2023 | 126 | 43.7% | 5.6% | 203 mi |
| 2022 | 127 | 44.1% | 0.0% | 195 mi |
| 2021 | 122 | 42.6% | 0.8% | 193 mi |
| 2020 | 134 | 36.6% | 3.7% | 198 mi |
| 2019 | 128 | 36.7% | 3.9% | 198 mi |
| 2018 | 101 | 48.5% | 0.0% | 181 mi |
| 2017 | 121 | 43.8% | 1.7% | 183 mi |
| 2016 | 116 | 46.5% | 0.9% | 187 mi |
| 2015 | 115 | 41.6% | 0.0% | 212 mi |
| 2014 | 122 | 34.7% | 0.0% | 212 mi |
| 2013 | 126 | 38.4% | 0.0% | 218 mi |
| 2012 | 110 | 35.5% | 0.0% | 221 mi |
| 2011 | 108 | 37.0% | 0.0% | 213 mi |
| 2010 | 110 | 43.1% | 0.0% | 199 mi |
| 2009 | 110 | 44.5% | 0.0% | 180 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 225 mi