If there’s one thing you can guarantee about the Iowa Hawkeyes, they always have a next man up on the defensive line.
The front four is like a conveyor belt in the Phil Parker manufacturing plant. A new star leaves and there’s another on the way to break out and repeat the cycle. Iowa appears to have two candidates on the line this year, albeit in slightly different stages of their careers.
Defensive end Deontae Craig is the next man up on the edge, ready to fill in the shoes of graduated starter John Waggoner. He is, of course, also filling in the hole left by chess-piece Lukas Van Ness, the newest member of the Green Bay Packers.
The departure of the versatile Van Ness leaves a gap in both areas of the Hawkeyes’ defensive line. Hercules rotated both inside and out, a key for the way Iowa’s defense runs. While Craig figures to be the budding star at defensive end, look for sophomore Aaron Graves to be the next big thing on the inside.
Graves was one of eight true freshmen to see action last year, showing great flashes while still learning on the fly. The consensus four-star defensive end was getting accustomed to the faster style of play in Division I football, all while trying to bulk up. He still managed to earn six tackles for loss and three sacks despite being beneath some great players on the totem pole.
There is a ton of buzz around the true sophomore heading into the season, many projecting him to be a future NFL draft pick. Supremely talented, Graves will have his opportunity this season to show that the hype is real. Here is a look at Iowa’s defensive lineman Aaron Graves.