Former Iowa High School Football Qb Joins Ufl For 2026

A erstwhile Iowa precocious schoolhouse shot standout was selected successful nan 2026 United Football League draft.

Hunter Dekkers, a postgraduate of West Sioux High School who played astatine Iowa State and Iowa Western, was picked by nan Houston Gamblers.

Dekkers signed pinch nan New Orleans Saints arsenic an undrafted rookie free agent, joining nan believe squad this past season. He started his assemblage profession astatine Iowa State, earning nan No. 1 backmost domiciled earlier being dismissed owed to gambling allegations.

After leaving Ames, Iowa and nan Cyclones, Dekkers landed successful Council Bluffs, Iowa to play for Iowa Western, 1 of nan apical inferior assemblage programs successful nan country. He led nan Reivers to a nationalist title crippled quality successful his 1 play pinch nan team.

Dekkers played football, basketball, way and shot for West Sioux, mounting nan Iowa precocious schoolhouse shot profession grounds for some passing yards (10,628) and touchdowns (126). He held offers from Iowa State, Purdue, Kansas State and Indiana, selecting nan Cyclones.

As a existent freshman, Dekkers was 5 of 7 for 114 yards and a touchdown, adding a rushing touchdown, successful 3 games. He preserved his redshirt, sitting down early NFL starter Brock Purdy nan pursuing play while completing 20 of 36 for 193 yards pinch 2 touchdowns and 61 yards and a TD connected nan ground.

Dekkers was named nan starting backmost going into his sophomore play pinch Iowa State wherever he would complete 302 of 457 passes for 3,044 yards pinch 19 touchdowns, adding 73 yards and 2 much scores pinch his legs.

In his 3 seasons pinch nan Cyclones, he played successful 19 games pinch 12 starts, going 327-for-500 for 3,355 yards and 22 touchdowns passing pinch 4 much scores and 146 much yards rushing.

Former West Sioux Standout Landed At Iowa Western

He sat retired nan 2023 assemblage shot play while seeking reinstatement earlier joining Iowa Western, starring them to an 11-2 grounds while going 288 of 449 passing for 3,806 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Dekkers was undrafted but earned an induce to nan rookie minicamp for nan New Orleans Saints. He was moved to nan progressive roster up of nan regular play finale, which would person allowed nan Saints to motion him to a futures statement successful nan offseason.

Instead, Dekkers joined nan UFL, which was founded successful 2023 and is nan latest loop of nan XFL and United States Football League. They played games for nan first clip successful March 2024, pinch games group to aerial connected ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX and FS1.

The Houston Gamblers are coached by erstwhile assemblage leader Kevin Sumlin and are a convention owned team.