NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After signing with the Hawkeyes on Dec. 21, Michigan transfers Cade McNamara and Erick All will officially join the Iowa football program in January.

And current Hawkeyes know the two former Wolverines will mesh well with them.

“I feel like we’re always bringing the right people into this program,” senior tight end Sam LaPorta said on Tuesday. “And I think that has a lot to do with the goals and the expectations that we set for each other and for the team.”

McNamara officially announced his intent to transfer to Iowa on Dec. 1. He will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Hawkeyes.

He started all 14 games for the Wolverines in 2021, leading Michigan to a College Football Playoff berth and throwing for 2,470 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was benched, however, in favor of sophomore J.J. McCarthy at the beginning of the 2022 season. McNamara also underwent a major leg surgery in November.

All, who only played three games for Michigan in 2022 before undergoing season-ending back surgery, officially committed to Iowa on Dec. 14. All had 38 receptions for 437 yards for the Wolverines in 2021.

McNamara and All visited Iowa City on Dec. 6, attending an Iowa men’s basketball game with left tackle Mason Richman, LaPorta, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, and other Hawkeye football players.

LaPorta, who spent most of the weekend with the Michigan transfer tight end, said All was impressed with the Iowa tight end’s production.

“He said something to me like, ‘You had 53 catches this year?’ and I went, ‘Yeah, yeah, I think I had 50-something last year, too.’ And he said, ‘I think I’ve had 50 in my entire career at Michigan.’” LaPorta said on Dec. 22. “… He liked what he heard, and I’m really excited for him.”

Senior wide receiver Nico Ragaini and Richman also met with McNamara and All in Iowa City. Richman sat next to McNamara and Ferentz throughout the men’s basketball game.

“Cade’s really a good guy,” Richman said Tuesday. “I only knew him as a football player before that, and I was really excited to meet him as a person. He was awesome, a great leader, and he wants to do great things here. We’re excited to get him here in January.”

Ragaini, who is currently one of three scholarship wide receivers on Iowa’s roster, announced Tuesday that he will be returning to Iowa for a sixth season. Ragaini said McNamara’s commitment to the Hawkeyes wasn’t a factor in his decision.

“I got to talk to him, he’s a cool guy,” Ragaini said of McNamara on Tuesday. “He seems like he’s excited to take on the challenge of being our quarterback next year, if that’s how it plays out, and I’m excited to get to work with him.”

“I pretty much already had my decision made before I found out about the Cade news,” Ragaini added. “It’s still pretty awesome that he’s coming here.”

The timetable for McNamara’s return to the field is unclear, but Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is confident he will fit right in with the Hawkeyes.

“We’re very confident he’ll be fine,” Kirk Ferentz said on Dec. 21. “I don’t think it’s uncommon, and it’s just something you factor in. But you talk about a guy who’s been on a Big Ten field and had very — a high level of success, it’s not quite as big a factor as how much repetition he’s had. He’s obviously going to transition, but confident that it’s going to be okay.”

Ferentz added All won’t be healthy for the start of spring practice, but he’ll be ready by the beginning of the 2023 season. LaPorta is likely leaving Iowa for the NFL after the Music City Bowl, so All will join the likes of sophomore Luke Lachey and freshman Addison Ostrenga in the Hawkeyes’ 2023 tight end room.

McNamara will join redshirt freshman Joe Labas and true freshman Carson May in the quarterback room for spring practice. Iowa’s 2023 quarterback commit, Marco Lainez, will also be part of the Hawkeyes’ QB group starting in June.

Labas, who has been part of the Hawkeye program for two years, hasn’t been thinking about McNamara’s commitment. He is instead focusing on his first career start as a Hawkeye in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31.

“I haven’t put much thought into that, to be honest with you,” Labas said on Dec. 22. “My focus is on this bowl game. That’s most important to me right now. It’s been a while since I’ve ever started in a game, so my focus is on this right now.”

Labas hasn’t yet taken a snap in a collegiate game. He was thrust into the starting position when Iowa’s 2022 starter, Spencer Petras, had season-ending shoulder surgery in November. Iowa’s backup quarterback, Alex Padilla, entered the transfer portal soon after the regular season ended.

On Wednesday, Petras said he tore his right rotator cuff and labrum against Nebraska. He added that he probably won’t be able to throw the ball seriously for at least six months.

Petras is planning to stay on Iowa’s roster in the spring in a player-coach role to help McNamara learn the Hawkeyes’ playbook. He also wants to keep all of his options open for playing, coaching, and careers outside of football.

Petras technically has one more year of eligibility left to play, but he acknowledged he will likely back up McNamara if he uses it at Iowa. He added his decision to return will likely depend on his rehab process. 

“We’ll see how Joe and the rest of the guys do,” Petras said. “Cade’s likely going to be our quarterback next year, I’m not unaware to that. And I think, had this injury not happened at the time it did, I’d probably be trying to train for the NFL. Obviously, a minimum six months out, it’s kind of a tough deal there. It just gets tough.”