ESPN: Smith-Marsette is Iowa's 'most exciting' player in 2020 - 247Sports

The Iowa Hawkeyes offense will be one of the most intriguing in the Big Ten Conference this season.

Iowa returns its four leading wide receivers along with running back Tyler Goodson, who's considered by many to break out this season as a sophomore.

ESPN (paysite link) did a rundown of the most exciting player on each of its top-25 preseason teams, and the one who got the nod for the Hawkeyes was wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who is a threat as a wideout and on special teams.

"Smith-Marsette makes you wish that, just for one year, Iowa would be a little less Iowa-like and air the ball out a bit more," ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote. "He averaged 16.4 yards per catch with five touchdowns last year and could easily become Iowa's first 1,000-yard wideout since 2011 if he gets enough opportunities. And he's one of the nation's best kick returners."

On offense last season, Smith-Marsette caught 44 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

"This training camp, he has turned over a new leaf," Iowa wide receiver coach Kelton Copeland said of Smith-Marsette last summer. "He's been one of, if not my best, leader so far this training camp. He has done a great job of raising his own standard, which I'm more concerned about that with him right now. He's done a great job. He's one of the more vocal guys in the room versus a Brandon Smith. He's done a good job of holding himself accountable and his teammates, especially the younger guys, helping them as well."

Smith-Marsette will be one of the keys for the Iowa offense this year that will feature a new starting quarterback in Spencer Petras. Brandon Smith, Nico Ragaini, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. all return along with Oliver Martin to form one of the most potent passing attacks in the Big Ten.

“We’ve got everything we need,” Smith-Marsette told reporters a couple weeks ago. “I’ve thought about how high-powered we can be. I have thought about how dangerous, how explosive it could get when things get rolling. Especially when someone gets hot. It could get really wild.”

247Sports' David Eickholt wrote previously that he thinks Smith-Marsette will be Iowa's first All-Big Ten wide receiver since 2011.

"Smith-Marsette has always had the talent, but his maturity and approach to the game has completely changed over the last couple of years," wrote Eickholt. "He knows the potential he has and what his team can do. When he was asked about potentially looking into the NFL following his junior year, he cited 'unfinished business' as a reason for coming back."

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June 18, 2020 at 04:08AM
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ESPN: Smith-Marsette is Iowa's 'most exciting' player in 2020 - 247Sports
"exciting" - Google News
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