Elite 2025 Defensive Lineman Iose Epenesa Chooses Iowa over Utah

Utah's recruiting efforts took a hit on Thursday as five-star defensive tackle Iose Epenesa committed to Iowa. The Utes were in serious consideration for Epenesa, but the Edwardsville, Illinois native opted to stay closer to home and play in the Big Ten.

According to 247Sports , Epenesa is ranked as the third-best defensive line prospect in the 2025 class and the 16th-best recruiting prospect in the country. Standing 6'4", 270 lbs, Epenesa offers scheme versatility and elite athleticism that shines through in his impressive shot put and discus power.

A.J. Epenesa, Epenesa's brother, played at Iowa from 2017 to 2019 and was a second-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2020 NFL Draft. Iose hopes to follow in his footsteps and become Iowa's latest highly drafted defensive prospect.

Epenesa visited Utah on June 14, but he's been trending toward Iowa for weeks. The Utes still have a top-40 recruiting class for 2025 per 247Sports , and while Epenesa would have been a significant addition, Kyle Whittingham and his staff will continue to work hard on adding to the future talent pool for this team.