With the 2025 college football prospect rankings complete, Iowa football’s coveted defensive end signee, Iose Epenesa, has officially closed out the cycle as a five-star.
According to 247Sports’ final rankings, the Edwardsville, Ill., native is the Hawkeyes’ lone signee to achieve five-star status in their 2025 signing class. Epenesa will also arrive as the Hawkeyes’ eighth highest-rated signee since 2001 per 247Sports.
Epenesa finished as the No. 27 overall prospect and the No. 5 defensive lineman in the class, per 247Sports. Along with other top-end high school talents, Epenesa participated in both the Navy All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl earlier this month.
Epenesa is currently listed at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds. He finished his senior season at Edwardsville with 51 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks through 10 games played.
During his storied high school career, Epenesa finished with 173 tackles, including 40 for loss and a program-record 22 sacks. He also had three four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Epenesa was recently honored during the 2025 Polynesian Bowl weekend as the 2024 Polynesian High School Defensive Player of the Year.
Epenesa’s frame, athleticism, and versatility could allow the prized signee to play both inside and outside along the Hawkeyes’ defensive line once he arrives in Iowa City. That pairs well with defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s impressive track record of molding elite defensive players throughout their Hawkeye careers.
Epenesa is currently one of the key pieces on Edwardsville’s basketball team and he intends to complete the track and field season with the Tigers this spring before joining the Hawkeyes ahead of the start of fall camp.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football DL signee Iose Epenesa completes cycle as five-star
