Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 40-0vs Northern Illinois | 2 | 32 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | Season-high 32 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 16-13vs Iowa State | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 0 | 13 | |
| Total | 5 | 64 | 13.3 | 0 | 16 |
#2
Reece Vander Zee
Junior wide receiver for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 220 lb · Rock Rapids, IA · Central Lyon-GLR
CFB Index 30 · #420 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceReturning to Iowa for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
64
receiving yards · 2026
5 catches · 12.8 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 rec, 32 yds, vs Iowa State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 wide receiver for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa in 2024.
Reece Vander Zee
Moves the chains on third down. This is his third year in the same receiving corps at Iowa. The receipt on tape: 32 rec yds, 3 receptions against Iowa State, Week 2, 2026.
64 REC YDS · 5 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20246 games
- Signed with Iowa3-star out of Central Lyon
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Iowa
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Iowa
Played his entire career under Kirk Ferentz.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Kirk Ferentz — 19-9 over that span.
2024Iowa8-5HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Iowa9-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Iowa2-0HC: Kirk Ferentz · Balanced
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 2.5 REC/g, 32.0 YDS/g, 13.3 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kirk Ferentz
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #56 of 61 Big Ten WRs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 16–13
vs Iowa State
3 rec · 32 yds
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 at home.
With B. Everitt — 44 AVG · 4 IN 20 · 51 LONG · H. Brown — 191 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 34.2 · 22 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Iowa
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Iowa
Returning around him
- 34% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 7 Iowa players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +7 net (15 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Iowa · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #26
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Tyler Griffin’s 2025 season.
80%match
Matches Tyler on
TD rate
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)
Differs from Tyler on
Class year (lower)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Ma'jon Wright’s path through Arizona.
Matches Ma'jon on
Yards per reception
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Brian Thomas Jr.'s sophomore season at LSU (2022).
77%match
All-SECNFL Rd 1 · Pk 23
Matches Brian on
Total EPA (college ability)
TD rate
Weight
Differs from Brian on
Class year (lower)
Reception volume (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Reece Vander Zee
The receiver room · Iowa
- #2Reece Vander Zee219 receiving yards · 2025
- #7Dayton Howard91 receiving yards · 2025
- #1KJ Parker18 receiving yards · 2025
- #17Alex Eichmann2 receiving yards · 2025
- #8Evan James2 games · 2026
9 more on the roster · Iowa team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology