The Iowa football wide receiver room underwent a big transformation this offseason.
Key players like Reece Vander Zee and Dayton Howard returned to the program, but head coach Kirk Ferentz made sure to supplement them with some new talent. The Hawkeyes added a pair of under-the-radar wide receivers who could pay huge dividends: third-year Tony Diaz from UTRGV and second-year Evan James from Furman.
Diaz has been the darling of the offseason, impressing everybody in camp. He was named a Week 1 starter in the Hawkeyes' season-opening depth chart. James hasn't been as highly touted in the offseason, but he has apparently caught the attention of the coaching staff. He was also named a starter for this Saturday's season opener.
Speaking to the media
on Tuesday, Diaz got the chance to talk about James and the impact he could have on the Hawkeyes this season.
"He's a dog," Diaz said. "That's my guy off the field, too. We talk a lot. He definitely makes plays. He's going to go out there and give it his all. I know he's also a selfless player. He'll play for one another. If he has to go block somebody, he'll do that. If the ball's coming his way, just expect he's going to try his best to catch the ball and I like that about him. Fast guy, shifty guy.
"His route running is fluid, too. He can get separation. He can run any route in the route tree. Big props to him, he's stepped up a lot. I know he was out spring ball a little bit, but he came back in training camp and showed us what he has. I'm excited to see him play Saturday."
Diaz's praise of James speaks a lot to how close the two are and how impressive James has been. With a new quarterback set to start, Iowa will need its receivers to get separation, win on routes, and make plays. It seems like both Diaz and James have been doing that all offseason.
While the results still need to come in real games, the Hawkeyes may have something special brewing in their wide receiver room. Diaz and James will be at the center of it all, beginning on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football WR Tony Diaz raves about fellow transfer Evan James
