The Iowa Hawkeyes might recruit former Auburn Tigers quarterback Hank Brown for the 2026 season. Under center | Julia Hansen, Iowa City Press-Citizen/USA TODAY NETWORK, via Imagn Images.
Hank Brown may be on the verge of breaking through with the Iowa Hawkeyes as their starting quarterback ahead of the 2026 College Football season, two years after having a brief taste of being the Auburn Tigers’ QB1.
ESPN’s Max Olson is confident that Brown, who has a more typical NFL quarterback structure than his principal challenger, Wake Forest Demon Deacons transfer Jeremy Hecklinski, would be better suited to addressing the Hawkeyes’ lack of explosive aerial plays throughout the years.
Tim Lester, Iowa’s third-year offensive coordinator, has a difficult choice to make between two quarterbacks who provide distinct playing styles to his offense. Brown is a 6-foot-4 passer who made two appearances for Auburn before joining the Hawkeyes last season. Lester lauded his effectiveness and ability to make explosive plays this spring, which is a positive indication for an attack that has the fifth-fewest 20-plus yard completions (45) in FBS since 2024. Hecklinski, a former Wake Forest transfer, is listed as 5-foot-11 and describes himself as more of a playmaker and risk-taker. He is more unproven, having only played 12 career snaps in his first two seasons. Lester noticed encouraging improvement from both this spring and has no deadline for a choice, according to Olson.
Hank Brown never had much of an opportunity at Auburn. Was Hugh Freeze mistaken?
Hugh Freeze didn’t like what he saw from Payton Thorne against the Cal Golden Bears in a stunning Week 2 defeat during the 2024 season, so Brown got a shot against the New Mexico Lobos. Despite fierce opposition, Brown completed 68% of his throws for 235 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Brown had a three-interception first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks in another surprising 24-14 defeat that appeared to dash any chances of a comeback that season before October.
Brown never snapped another snap on the Plains again. By 2025, he and the rest of the quarterback room had departed. Now that Kirk Ferentz and Co. are contemplating handing him control of the attack, it’s reasonable to ask if Freeze made a mistake in not providing him with more opportunities.
It is not appropriate to let those ideas go too far. Thorne demonstrated why he was the starter by season’s end, and, to be honest, Brown would have performed much worse than the 26 sacks Thorne suffered throughout the year. Brown’s immobility was perhaps his greatest flaw. It’s difficult to picture him escaping R Mason Thomas and Co. more effectively than Thorne did. The same was true for Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins of the Georgia Bulldogs and the other Bulldogs that season.
To put it plainly, it’s difficult to imagine Brown thriving in Iowa City. The Big Ten is the conference that currently has the quickest athletes. If Brown starts in 2026, he’ll face top-tier EDGE talents like the Michigan Wolverines’ John Henry Daley, the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ Anthony Smith, and the Ohio State Buckeyes’ Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
We’ll see whether Ferentz follows through with what might be an extremely dangerous move, but one that Auburn supporters would certainly be interested by.
