Tyler Brown joins the Hawkeyes after recording 80 tackles during the Dukes' run to the College Football Playoff this year.
James Madison transfer safety Tyler Brown has committed to Iowa, he told JGPCFB on Friday afternoon. Brown chose the Hawkeyes over offers from UCLA (where former JMU coach Bob Chesney now coaches), Florida State, LSU, Wisconsin, and others.
Brown becomes the second former Dukes player to transfer to the Hawkeyes, following offensive lineman Trent Wilson. The 5-foot-11 Brown started all 14 games at free safety, recording 80 tackles, one sack, one interception, and six pass break-ups for a James Madison squad that went 12-2 and reached the College Football Playoff last season.
Not only was Brown a mainstay for the 2025 Dukes, he also was a key member as a freshman in 2024, where he collected 13 tackles (eight solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, and a half sack against Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Severn, Maryland native was ranked as a two-star prospect by 247Sports, and originally signed with Liberty before flipping to James Madison. His impressive career in Harrisonburg, Virginia, ultimately led to 247Sports ranking Brown as a three-star transfer recruit.
Brown will have two seasons of eligibility remaining in Iowa City and figures to be a key player on Phil Parker's secondary alongside rising star Zach Lutmer in 2026, as Iowa will have to replace graduating safety Xavier Nwankpa and outgoing transfer Koen Entringer.