IOWA CITY - Days after heralded instate offensive tackle David Barrent spurned the University of Iowa football program in favor of Michigan State, Hawkeyes fans got a much-needed pick-me-up Wednesday.

Jordan Cotton, an athletic prospect from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, has verbally committed to play at Iowa starting in the fall of 2009.

"I've been a Hawkeyes fan for a long time," said Cotton, whose father, Marshall, came out of Davenport Central and played for the Hawkeyes in the mid-1980s. "I grew a really good relationship with the coaches at Iowa. That was the big thing right there."

Cotton, rated a three-star prospect and the fourth-best player in the state's senior class by Web site Rivals.com, turned down scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado and Iowa State. His decision came down to Iowa and Kansas, but, he said, it was a no-brainer to stay home.

Other schools recruited Cotton as a defensive back, but the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder projects as a wide receiver at Iowa, a position of need in this signing class, which figures to number anywhere from 12 to 15 players.

Last fall, Cotton rushed for 1,449 yards and 17 touchdowns from his running back position while leading Mt. Pleasant to a 6-3 record.

"Jordan could wind up being the best of (the Iowa prospects)," recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "He can run. Once he settles on one position, he could be the best of any of them. As far as athletic ability, no one's better in the entire state. He's one of the best pure athletes in the Midwest."

Cotton is the second player from the class of '09 known to have committed to Iowa. He joins Ohio running back Brad Rogers, who also carries a 3-star rating.

Barrent, a 6-8, 290-pound four-star prospect out of West Des Moines Valley, committed to Iowa on May 3 but reneged Monday in favor of the Spartans, who quickly are putting together one of the top-rated classes in the Big Ten with eight four-star prospects already on board for second-year coach Mark Dantonio.

Two key instate targets remain for the Iowa coaches: Cedar Rapids Washington receiver Keenan Davis and Sioux City Heelan running back Brandon Wegher, who are 4-star prospects.

Wegher and Davis have narrowed their lists of schools to five and plan to make verbal commitments before the start of the high school season. Davis will choose from Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Arizona State and Colorado. For Wegher, it's down to Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.

Contact Eric Page at (563) 383-2277 or epage@qctimes.com.