The Iowa Hawkeyes always seem to be pretty stingy across the board defensively.
CBS Sports just stamped the Hawkeyes as a top-three defensive back unit in all of America. With cornerbacks Jermari Harris and Deshaun Lee returning alongside safeties Xavier Nwankpa and Quinn Schulte and CASH Sebastian Castro, Iowa has one of the top collections of defensive back talent in the Big Ten and nationally.
The Hawkeyes should be plenty good up front and in the middle of their defense, though, too.
While CBS Sports didn’t feature Iowa among its top five front seven units nationally, David Cobb did bestow honorable mention status to the Hawkeyes’ front seven.
Last season, Iowa’s defense ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense (14.8 points per game), No. 5 in passing defense (170.7 yards per game), No. 7 in total defense (282.5 yards per game).
The Hawkeyes were also a top-20 defense in a number of other key categories in the 2023 college football season. Iowa ranked No. 15 in rushing defense (111.8 yards), No. 15 in third down conversion percentage defense (31.3%) and No. 16 in red zone defense (75.8%).
Cobb highlighted Iowa linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson and senior defensive tackle Yahya Black.
Iowa brings back one of the top linebacking duos in all of college football in fifth-year Jay Higgins and graduate Nick Jackson. That pair combined for 281 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries, eight pass breakups and six sacks in 2023.
Higgins tied the single-season school record for most tackles in a season with 171 last year with the Hawkeyes. Meanwhile, Jackson registered his fourth straight season with more than 100 tackles, racking up 110.
Black started all 14 games last season, totaling 51 tackles, five tackles for loss, five pass breakups, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble. In his career, the 6-foot-5, 306 pound defensive tackle has 83 tackles, nine pass breakups, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Iowa returns starting senior defensive end Deontae Craig as well. In his first season starting, Craig registered 54 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and one pass breakup. Over his Hawkeye career, Craig has tallied 99 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles and a pair of pass breakups.
Iowa also has graduate Kyler Fisher and junior Jaxon Rexroth at Leo backer, junior Jaden Harrell at middle linebacker and junior Karson Sharar at weak side linebacker.
Up front, the Hawkeyes feature fellow starting defensive tackle in junior Aaron Graves and starting senior defensive end Ethan Hurkett.
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