Former Iowa RB Brandon Wegher Now NFL Draft Sleeper

The road to the NFL is different for everybody, but for former Iowa Hawkeyes running back Brandon Wegher, it’s really been a battle.

Wegher started his college football career by proving to the Hawkeyes that he could contribute in literally almost any way. He ran the ball, caught the ball, returned kicks — and he was good at all of it. Wegher’s future was promising as a member of the Hawkeyes after helping them win the Orange Bowl. Iowa appeared set at running back for years to come with their young stable of backs, including fellow freshman and leading rusher Adam Robinson and incoming freshman Marcus Coker. The Hawkeyes also had Jewel Hampton, who had missed that entire season due to injury.

None of those players would finish their career — not even close — with the Hawkeyes. Wegher was dismissed from the team that following offseason. Issues in the classroom caused Kirk Ferentz to have to pull a trigger he probably hated to do, since Wegher was the all-time leading high school rusher and clearly had a bright future.

After being kicked out of Iowa, Wegher eventually wound up transferring to Oklahoma where Bob Stoops and the Sooners were going to welcome him aboard. It seemed like a fantastic fit and even perhaps an upgrade for Wegher, but he was kicked off the Oklahoma football team before even really practicing.

It seemed like it just wasn’t in the cards for Wegher, who was making mistake after mistake and proving that his off-field troubles were too significant to overcome, even though his ability on the field was obvious. Coming to Iowa as a four-star prospect, Wegher looked every bit the part of an NFL running back, even coming out of high school. He is big, fast, strong, has great vision, soft hands, and his versatility is incredible. The kid is just a great football player.

After it was seemingly the end of the line for Wegher, he wound up eventually at Morningside College, an NAIA school near his hometown. Of course, not even a four-star athlete like Wegher could come out of football, not having played football from 2010 through 2012, right?

Apparently not.

The former Iowa high school football star was three years removed from his huge performance in the Orange Bowl, and he had to swallow his pride and play at an NAIA power in order to keep an NFL dream alive. He did just that. This past season at Morningside, Wegher rushed for 2,680 yards and 39 touchdowns, averaging eight yards per carry. He also caught 29 passes and scored another four times on receptions.

This kid is a straight up gamer, and he looks like he’s in NFL shape as he approaches the biggest interview of his life. Recently, Wegher was invited to participate in the Medal of Honor Bowl.

His football career was on life support, and Wegher turned things around. This is not just a feel-good story, this guy is the real deal. But you have to see it for yourself.