With just 2 weeks left until signing day, the Iowa Hawkeyes pick up a late commitment from Ohio safety (he's also a running back, but defensive backs are in a much higher demand for the Hawks) Anthony Hitchens. Hitchens is rated 2-stars by Rivals and ESPN (and I couldn't even find him on Scout).
High School:
Hitchens attends Clearview High School in Lorain, Ohio. The Clearview Clippers football team finished the year 8-2 just missing out on the playoffs in 2009. Hitchens was the clear leader on both sides of the ball. As a running back he rushed for 1,428 yards and 21 touchdowns. On defense, he 76 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He also had an impressive junior year with over 1,500 yards on the ground and had 23 TDs and had a team leading 78 tackles, and the Clippers went 10-0 in the regular season before falling in the playoffs, and Hitches was also the team's star player that year as well. His efforts earned him the Lorain County Golden Helmet Award and a spot on the All-Ohio Division IV First Team 2 years in a row.
Quick Thoughts:
I checked out his highlight video and I was certainly impressed. He looks like a very capable runner, and deserved of the accolades he earned as a running back. But he really impressed me on defense. He was extremely quick running to the ball and when he got there he was a sure tackler. Though he played linebacker in high school he looks like he definitely has the speed and smarts to play safety. I think this is a very good pickup for the Hawks, especially with the departure of Cato and the relative lack of depth at safety.