Iowa wrestling adds Nasir Bailey and Jordan Williams of Little Rock via transfer portal

Iowa wrestling made a pair of substantial additions via the transfer portal on Saturday night.

The Hawkeyes added Little Rock's Jordan Williams and Nasir Bailey through the portal. Bailey is a former All-American at 133 pounds (4th in 2024) and most recently reached the round of 16 at the 2025 NCAA Championships, also at 133 pounds. Williams is a two-time NCAA qualifier at 149 pounds, once for Oklahoma State (2024) and most recently for Little Rock at 149 pounds. Each has two years of eligibility remaining.

Williams could fill in right away at 149 pounds with Kyle Parco completing his lone season as a Hawkeye. While Bailey comes in at the same class as NCAA 133-pound finalist Drake Ayala, the 141-pound weight class seems open for the taking and Bailey could bump to the weight and wrestle next to Ayala in the lineup. Bailey also has a redshirt at his disposal.

Williams was formerly a Cowboy and made the Big 12 finals at 149 pounds with Oklahoma State in the 2023-24 campaign. He was dismissed from the Oklahoma State program in the offseason following an arrest in the summer of 2024. At Little Rock, he was able to return to the mat for the 2024-25 season and was one win shy of NCAA All-American status and won a Pac-12 title.

These are the first major additions for the Hawkeyes this offseason as the portal season has only just begun. Spots like 125, perhaps an additional wrestler at 149 or 157, as well as 197 all are weights with departing talent that could be filled by athletes in the portal.

While there is returning talent at those weights in Joey Cruz (125), Miguel Estrada (149/157) and incoming freshmen Leo DeLuca (125) and Harvey Ludington (197), Iowa has not been shy about additions in past seasons.

Additionally, Caleb Rathjen entered the portal after the NCAA Championships at 149 pounds, creating a larger need for the weight. Williams could step in to fill the role, but Estrada also proved to be a great talent in his true freshman season who could fill in at 149 or 157.

It's only one week since Iowa crowned a national champion in Stephen Buchanan, who was also a transfer, but coach Tom Brands and company are already putting together a formidable squad.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.