Academics the priority for Iowa TE

West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley tight end Drew Hansen has an academic resume that is attracting the elite universities in the country, but he also has an athletic resume that is interesting college football programs. The 6-4, 222-pound prospect is hoping to find the best combination of both.

Ivy League schools Penn, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, Cornell and Harvard are all showing extensive interest in Hansen at this stage of the process, as is Tulane.

"The schools want me to attend the camps this summer," Hansen said. "I played last year at 200 and I've already gained 22 pounds this off-season, so they want me to continue to get bigger. They've given me positive feedback on my athleticism."

Unlike most of his fellow Division 1 recruits in-state, Hansen has not sent out highlight film yet to programs like Iowa State and Iowa, but that does not mean he is not interested in playing BCS Conference football. One Big Ten program in particular has caught his attention.

"I'd be actually really interested in going to Northwestern," Hansen said. "My two sisters went there and my mom did for undergrad. I want the elite education."

Hansen carries a 3.75 GPA in the classroom and has already notched a 29 on the ACT. He has a fairly good idea of where he wants to go academically in college.

"I'm looking to go into International Business. I'm taking Spanish now and that will be pretty helpful," Hansen said. "I'm split between that and being an English major, or something along those lines. My mom and dad both went to law school and passed the bar exam. I'm definitely interested in going to law school, but I don't know that I would ever practice."

A three sport star at Valley High, Hansen also plays basketball and baseball and has earned academic all-conference honors on multiple occasions. On the football field this past fall he made 12 receptions for around 100 yards and three touchdowns.

"I'm definitely more of an athletic, receiving tight end," Hansen said. "Iowa plays summer baseball for high school, but I'm definitely looking to go to some of these places this summer."