Iowa basketball: 2020 Recruiting Big Board, v1.0

With most college programs' 2019 recruiting classes signed, it's full-steam ahead with 2020 recruitment. Iowa's 2020 class is currently projected to have six open slots, although C.J. Fredrick and Jack Nunge redshirting, and Cordell Pemsl likely getting a medical redshirt, will shrink that number.

Of course, things can change.

Based on observations and conversations with recruiting and coaching contacts, this is the Register's initial Iowa 2020 recruiting big board.

1. Xavier Foster, PF (Oskaloosa)

247Sports: four stars, ranked No. 31; Rivals: four stars, No. 26

The in-state must-have. Iowa was Foster's first offer, way back in September of his freshman year — before he ever played a high school basketball game. The 7-footer has been a crystal-clear, major priority since then. Foster and his family have visited campus almost too many times to count, including a September official visit alongside Patrick McCaffery and Joe Toussaint. Iowa feels good about where it stands with Foster.

2. Dawson Garcia, PF (Prior Lake, Minnesota)

247Sports: four stars, No. 27; Rivals: four stars, No. 32

Iowa was up in Minnesota to see Garcia in September, and Fran McCaffery was on hand to watch Garcia in October. The Hawkeyes offered back in July and were a steady presence at his AAU games. Garcia (6-10) is yet another national-level talent from Minnesota, a state that is quickly becoming a recruiting hotbed — and one in which Iowa is trying to establish a foothold. Garcia plays for D1Minnesota, the same program Patrick McCaffery played for this past spring and summer.

3. Andre Jackson, SF (Albany, New York)

247Sports: four stars, No. 57; Rivals: four stars, No. 38

A freakishly athletic wing from New York, Jackson visited Iowa in October. The Hawkeyes were one of Jackson's earliest offers, and McCaffery and the staff watched the 6-6 prospect plenty with the Albany-based City Rocks this past spring and summer. Iowa does well in the East Coast and had recent success in New York (Andrew Francis' home state) with Toussaint.

4. Jalen Terry, PG (Mount Morris, Michigan)

247Sports: four stars, No. 28; Rivals: four stars, No. 47

Iowa was Terry's first high-major offer back in July. Since then, he's picked up five more offers. The 5-11 prospect has visited other schools, including a November official to Iowa State, and hasn't yet visited Iowa. But the Hawkeyes showed faith before any other high-major, and oftentimes, that matters. 

5. Ty Berry, PG (Newton, Kansas)

247Sports: unrated; Rivals: three stars, No. 120

Iowa tracked Berry in the live evaluation periods and offered him in July. Berry (6-2) visited the Hawkeyes in September and has seen a nice stock bump since the summer. Home-state Wichita State has started honing in, and the Kansas Jayhawks are keeping an eye on Berry, too.

6. Desmond Polk, PG (New Berlin, Wisconsin)

247Sports: unrated; Rivals: three stars, No. 131

Polk is one of 2020's top shooters and best perimeter athletes. Iowa offered the Milwaukee product in September, a couple weeks before he visited Iowa City. Iowa State and Marquette are among the other schools to watch right now, but the 6-3 prospect's stock will benefit from playing with Indiana prep academy La Lumiere this year.

7. Ben Carlson, PF (St. Paul, Minnesota)

247Sports: four stars, No. 71; Rivals: four stars, No. 53

Another Minnesota target, Carlson received his Hawkeye offer in July. Iowa was in to see him in early September, and McCaffery came again to watch Carlson in late September. Iowa State, Stanford, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin are among the other schools that have offered. Carlson (6-9) also plays for D1Minnesota.

8. Trey Galloway, SG (Culver, Indiana)

247Sports: three stars, No. 122; Rivals: three stars, No. 132

Iowa offered Galloway in August and he visited alongside Berry in September. The 6-3 prospect also holds offers from Butler, Michigan State, Nebraska and Purdue, among others. He plays for Indiana Elite, the same AAU program C.J. Fredrick played for as a junior.

9. Ethan Morton, PG (Butler, Pennsylvania)

247Sports: four stars, No. 80; Rivals: four stars, No. 55

Morton is a prospect Fran McCaffery honed in on early in his development. He visited the lengthy, 6-5 point guard in September of his sophomore year and offered him during an unofficial visit on campus that October. Then, Iowa visited Morton in December and closely followed him last spring and summer. McCaffery was watching him again in September. Morton has officially visited Stanford, Indiana and Purdue.

10. Caleb Love, PG (St. Louis)

247Sports: four stars, No. 35; Rivals: four stars, No. 39

Iowa was one of Love's earliest offers, back in April — the same day as home-state Missouri. McCaffery was in St. Louis to see Love in September, and Sherman Dillard does well in that city. Love (6-3) plays for Christian Brothers College, just 5 miles from Tyler Cook's alma mater Chaminade. He also plays for Brad Beal Elite, the same program Cook played for.

11. Anthony Leal, SG (Bloomington, Indiana)

247Sports: four stars, No. 84; Rivals: four stars, No. 79

Another Indiana shooting guard who visited Iowa in September, Leal also plays for Indiana Elite. The Hawkeyes offered Leal (6-5) during his visit. He might be higher on this list if he wasn't from Bloomington ... home of the Hoosiers, who have not yet offered.

12. Bryce Thompson, SG (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

247Sports: four stars, No. 111; Rivals: four stars, No. 65

Iowa was one of Thompson's first offers back in September before his sophomore year. He has blown up since then, reeling in offers from Kansas and Oklahoma, among others. This one feels more like a long shot, as Thompson (6-2) has already officially visited Texas A&M, Arkansas and Colorado. But Kirk Speraw did visit Thompson in September.

13. Jalen Suggs, PG (Minneapolis)

247Sports: five stars, No. 7; Rivals: five stars, No. 17

Suggs is an interesting prospect, because he's also a high-level quarterback recruit. His camp still believes he can play both sports in college, although most around college basketball think he'll wind up playing only basketball at a blue-blood program. For what it's worth, Iowa has offered the 6-5 prospect in both sports. The Hawkeyes like him a lot and, although, Suggs isn't the most realistic target, the Hawkeyes will keep their hand in the fight. They have been in Minnesota to watch Suggs several times this fall.

14. LJ Cryer, PG (Katy, Texas)

247Sports: four stars, No. 74; Rivals: four stars, No. 86

Iowa offered the Texas product in July and went down to see him in October. The 6-1 prospect has already taken an official visit to LSU, and he has one planned in the winter to Purdue.

15. Chanse Robinson, PG (Grambling, Louisiana)

247Sports: three stars, No. 183; Rivals: three stars, No. 124

Robinson impressed the Hawkeyes this spring, and they offered him in April. Since then, Robinson (6-0) has fielded other offers from Iowa State, Houston, Wichita State and VCU. He just took an official visit to Wichita State last weekend.

Matthew Bain covers college football and basketball recruiting for the Des Moines Register. He also helps out with Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball coverage for HawkCentral and Cyclone Insider. Contact him at mbain@dmreg.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.