N.J. prep averaging 28 yards a catch commits to Iowa

Iowa landed its second verbal commitment from an East Coast wide receiver in as many days, continuing its staggering football recruiting pace.

Frank Darby, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver from Jersey City, N.J., on Monday became the 16th member of the Hawkeyes' Class of 2016, according to HawkeyeReport.com's Blair Sanderson.

Darby is rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com. His other major offers were from Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Of his 19 catches as a junior for Jersey City Lincoln High School, seven went for touchdowns. He averaged 28 yards per reception.

"Coaches say I'm explosive and I play like I'm 6-5," Darby told HawkeyeReport.com during his visit to Iowa City over the weekend. "They like how I attack the ball and what I do in the open field."

Prior to Monday's news, Iowa had shot up to 26th nationally in Rivals' recruiting rankings for this class. It has been a fruitful past two weeks for the Hawkeyes. Twelve commitments in this 16-member class have committed since June 8; Iowa is expected to pass out 25 scholarships in this class when all is said and done.

Darby joins Devonte Young, a 6-foot, 191-pound wide receiver from Waldorf, Md., as the second wide receiver in the Class of 2016. Young gave his verbal commitment Sunday.

IOWA'S FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS OF 2016

Known Hawkeye football commitments as of Monday. Verbal commitments are not binding. Dimensions are those listed by Rivals.com:

Toks Akinribade, RB/ATH, 6-0, 205 (Brownsburg, Ind.)

Cole Banwart, OL, 6-4, 275 (Algona, Iowa)

Frank Darby, WR, 6-1, 180 (Jersey City, N.J.)

Chauncey Golston, DE, 6-5, 235 (Detroit)

T.J. Hockenson, TE, 6-5, 230 (Chariton, Iowa)

Amani Hooker, DB, 6-1, 195 (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)

Amani Jones, LB, 6-0, 215 (Chicago)

Cedrick Lattimore, DE, 6-4, 251 (Detroit)

Nick Niemann, LB, 6-3, 205 (Sycamore, Ill.)

Austin Schulte, DE, 6-4, 240 (Pella, Iowa)

Nathan Stanley, QB, 6-4, 193 (Menomonie, Wis.)

Kyle Taylor, LB, 6-2, 220 (Washington, D.C.)

Barrington Wade, RB, 6-1, 207 (Skokie, Ill.)

Spencer Williams, OL, 6-3, 275 (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

Devonte Young, WR, 6-0, 191 (Waldorf, Md.)

Toren Young, RB, 5-11, 206 (Monona Grove, Wis.)