Wyatt Valenta announced on social media that he will attend the University of Northern Iowa, ending the recruiting process for the Dallas Center-Grimes High School linebacker and wide receiver. The Class of 2027 prospect said he is excited to commit to play football for the Panthers.
Valenta posted that he first wanted to recognize the schools that gave him a chance to play the sport he loves and thanked his family and support system for helping him reach this point. He also thanked his coaches and teammates before confirming his commitment to UNI and the coaching staff that offered him the opportunity.
The move matters because Valenta has emerged as one of the top two-way Iowa high school football prospects in his class. He followed a freshman season in which he caught 18 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown with a sophomore year that produced 36.5 tackles, 32 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, 47 receptions, 460 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Last fall, Valenta took another step for Dallas Center-Grimes. He finished with 46 tackles, 34 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one interception returned for a touchdown on defense, while adding 25 catches for 280 yards and four touchdowns on offense. Dallas Center-Grimes finished 7-3 and reached the first round of the Class 5A Iowa High School Athletic Association State Football Playoffs.
For UNI, Valenta brings a rare combination of size, production and versatility from a program that already knows how to use him on both sides of the ball. The commitment gives the Panthers a Class of 2027 player who has already shown he can change a game as a linebacker and a receiver, and it gives Valenta a next step that fits the two-way profile he built at Dallas Center-Grimes.
