Iowa lands star QB Mark Gronowski of South Dakota State; Malik Benson heading to Oregon

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Mark Gronowski, the prolific quarterback who led South Dakota State to two FCS national championships and to the semifinals this season, announced on social media Tuesday that he'll play his final season at Iowa.

Gronowski had considered entering the NFL draft before visiting Iowa City last weekend. He immediately becomes the projected 2025 starter, even though the Hawkeyes return Brendan Sullivan, who said two weeks ago he welcomed the competition.

Gronowski threw for 2,719 yards and 23 touchdowns this season as the Jackrabbits went 12-3 with a loss to eventual national champion North Dakota State in the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder from Naperville, Illinois, was the 2023 Walter Payton Award winner as the top offensive player in the FCS. He has passed for 10,309 yards and 93 touchdowns, figures that rank second among active FCS players, and was 49-6 as the Jackrabbits' starter with national titles in 2022 and 2023. As a freshman, he was the starter on the team that reached the national championship game.

Also Tuesday, wide receiver Malik Benson announced his transfer from Florida State to Oregon.

Oregon will be Benson's third school in three years after he played two seasons at a Kansas junior college before transferring to Alabama first, then Florida State. Benson is in line to play another season after a federal judge last month issued a preliminary injunction allowing Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to play one more year after Pavia challenged NCAA eligibility rules for athletes coming from junior colleges.

Benson was a record-setting receiver at Hutchinson Community College and the No. 1 junior college prospect in 2023. He started six of his 14 games at Alabama that year and caught 13 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown. He transferred to Florida State in the offseason and was the team's third-leading receiver with 25 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown.

Oregon is losing leading receiver Tez Johnson, who announced Monday he would declare for the NFL draft. Evan Stewart, the Ducks' third-leading receiver, said Tuesday he would return next season rather than enter the draft.

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