Jestin Jacobs. Seth Benson. Jack Campbell.
Iowa’s linebacking trio and three members that have been named to the Butkus Award watch list. The award is given to the nation’s best linebacker each year. Iowa is the only team in the country with three linebackers named to the watch list.
Triple Threat.
The only school in the country with three players on the Butkus Award Watch List, given to the nation's top linebacker.#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/MkwdsifTeQ
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) July 25, 2022
The talk of Iowa’s linebackers has been a consistent theme throughout the entire offseason as they return three of their most stout defenders for another year in black and gold.
I discussed how Iowa’s trio of Campbell, Jacobs, and Benson could prove to be the backbone of this defense throughout the 2022 college football season. The three combined for over 300 tackles last season and that number should only increase as Iowa’s defensive line will undoubtedly require more attention this year and leave plenty of room for these three to be dominant.
Seth Benson will look to continue his work as one of the most steady members of the Iowa team. His work is in the box and often gritty, but it is what makes the Hawkeyes who they are.
Jestin Jacobs is transforming into one of the next NFL products to come out of Iowa right before our eyes. His length, speed and strength have some NFL scouts drooling and has landed him among the list of breakout candidates this season.
Jack Campbell is not only known by Iowa fans and throughout the Big Ten, he is also getting national recognition. He was named as the preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as he looks to catapult himself among Iowa linebacking greats before he heads to the NFL.
This group is arguably the best linebacking corps in the country and seeing all of their names on this is more than deserved. All three of these Hawkeyes linebackers will have themselves in the mix play after play this fall.
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