If you are looking for the next Iowa Hawkeye breakout star on defense, look no further than junior defensive end Deontae Craig.
Technically, Craig already experienced his breakout season last year, but, unfortunately, nobody seemed to pay attention. While much of the attention went to some of the other stars on the defense, Deontae Craig quietly had a great season.
Craig actually led the Hawkeyes’ defense with seven sacks, sharing the top mark for tackles for loss with 10.5. Craig also forced three fumbles. Despite being a rotational edge rusher, Craig greatly impacted the Hawkeyes last season.
Craig showed up when it mattered most, too. He racked up 5.5 sacks in the last six games of the year. He was a star in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl shutout against Kentucky with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
While he didn’t receive nearly as much attention as he deserved last year, don’t expect that to continue in 2023. Iowa’s defense has an opening for a new superstar, and watch out for Deontae Craig to step into that spotlight. Here is a look at Deontae Craig’s 2023 snapshot profile.
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