Tag: jack koerner

Where did Iowa Hawkeyes sign with as undrafted free agents?

Here’s a look at where Tyler Goodson, Matt Hankins, Jack Koerner, Zach VanValkenburg and Caleb Shudak signed as undrafted free agents.

A pair of Iowa Hawkeyes heard their names called in the 2022 NFL draft, center Tyler Linderbaum in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens and safety Dane Belton in the fourth round by the New York Giants.

While there were other Iowa players that felt they had a chance to be drafted, ultimately, it was just Linderbaum and Belton. Still, five more Hawkeyes are getting their chance at professional football after signing as undrafted free agents with NFL teams.

Let’s take a look at which teams running back Tyler Goodson, cornerback Matt Hankins, safety Jack Koerner, defensive end Zach VanValkenburg and kick Caleb Shudak signed with.

Iowa Hawkeyes boast ability to mold seniors into NFL talent

The Iowa Hawkeyes are no stranger to producing NFL talent. Let’s look at three senior NFL talents coming from Iowa.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are no strangers to delivering NFL-caliber talent year in and year out. They are doing so at a clip unseen by many college football teams. This gives credence to their ability to bring in under-recruited, undersized, and overlooked prospects and turn them into stars.

With the NFL draft now only two days away, the Hawkeyes have a handful of prospects that will be taking their talents to new homes across the country. True to Iowa fashion, most of these prospects have spent multiple years in Iowa City developing, getting stronger, and turning into high-quality prospects.

As tweeted by the official Iowa Hawkeyes Football account, 87% of their senior starters over the last 20 years have gotten their shot in the NFL via the draft or signed as a free agent.

At a program like Iowa, where the model is to spend the first year redshirting and developing, their starters are very senior heavy. Just last year alone, the Hawkeyes had eight senior starters across the three units.

This year should be no exception. Three former seniors waiting to find out their new home are defensive back Matt Hankins, defensive back Jack Koerner, and defensive end Zach VanValkenburg.

Hankins, a five-year player for Iowa, gives NFL teams instant depth at defensive back. Coming from a proven defense and experience in the form of 37 straight starts, he becomes a great plug-and-play piece for a team needing help in the secondary.

Projecting as a day-three pick, Hankins is going to likely be a solid contributor early on for the team that snags him on Saturday. He is the type of player that when drafted, teams know what they are getting. In a late-round pick, that is a gem of a selection.

Koerner is another in a long line of Hawkeye safeties that is going to get a shot at the next level. Being a four-year player and seeing time in 36 games, Koerner has found a way to succeed and that is due to his willingness to contribute in run defense.

He will add size once an NFL team gets their hands on him and that will only help him excel. Koerner projects as an undrafted free agent and is going to push incumbents for a spot on the depth chart.

VanValkenburg really came on last year for Iowa down the stretch. The defensive end improved his draft stock in his final game at the Vrbo Citrus Bowl with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks against Kentucky.

While he doesn’t show the athleticism of some of the first-round talents, he more than makes up for it with his relentlessness to always find himself in a position to make a play. VanValkenburg will likely sign as an undrafted free agent but is one that can make a roster and be a contributor for a rotational defensive line with his toughness and Iowa defensive pedigree.

Iowa continues to churn out quality prospects year after year and the 2022 NFL draft should be no exception. While center [autotag]Tyler Linderbaum[/autotag], safety [autotag]Dane Belton[/autotag] and running back [autotag]Tyler Goodson[/autotag] are all expected to hear their names called, these seniors who were part of an experience-rich foundation for Iowa will also have their chance to continue the Hawkeyes’ way of producing NFL talent.

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Iowa Hawkeyes tied for the most returning starters among Big Ten programs entering the 2022 season

Athlon Sports took a look at returning starters among Big Ten programs. Iowa has the most returning starters, which sets up well for 2022.

Among Big Ten teams, Iowa has the most returning starters. Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan took a look at returning starters on Big Ten teams and Iowa is tied for the most returning starters.

According to Lassan, Iowa has 17 returning starters. That number for the Hawkeyes is actually 15 returning starters. Iowa is replacing three starters offensively: running back [autotag]Tyler Goodson[/autotag], All-American center [autotag]Tyler Linderbaum[/autotag] and left guard [autotag]Kyler Schott[/autotag].

Goodson rushed for 1,151 yards on 256 carries with six rushing touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 247 yards and a score. Linderbaum started each of the team’s 35 games over the past three seasons and Schott started the final 10 games of last season and 18 over his Hawkeye career.

Defensively, Iowa will replace defensive end [autotag]Zach VanValkenburg[/autotag] who started all 14 games and 35 in his career. VanValkenburg had 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last season. The Hawkeyes are also replacing linebacker [autotag]Dane Belton[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Matt Hankins[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jack Koerner[/autotag].

Koerner finished third on the team with 88 tackles in 2021. Meanwhile, Belton had 46 tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions. Hankins added 44 tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions. That trio combined to start 95 games over the course of their Iowa careers.

Although the Hawkeyes are in good shape, the losses – center Tyler Linderbaum, running back Tyler Goodson, defensive end Zach VanValkenburg, safety Jack Koerner, defensive back Dane Belton and cornerback Matt Hankins – are significant. – Lassan, Athlon Sports.

The production that Iowa is replacing offensively and defensively is certainly notable. Goodson was Iowa’s leading rusher and Koerner and VanValkenburg were the Hawkeyes’ third and fourth-leading tacklers. Still, there should be optimism that Iowa returns its top two tacklers in linebackers Jack Campbell and Seth Benson who racked up 143 and 105 tackles last year, respectively.

Offensively, Iowa has both quarterbacks [autotag]Spencer Petras[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Padilla[/autotag] returning. While fans have good reason to want to see more production from both, returning experience at the quarterback position can never be overstated. The Hawkeyes also return five of their top six receiving yardage leaders in tight end [autotag]Sam LaPorta[/autotag] and then wide receivers [autotag]Keagan Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Nico Ragaini[/autotag], [autotag]Charlie Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Arland Bruce IV[/autotag].

Iowa’s 15 returning starters matches Maryland and Purdue. Michigan State returns the next-most starters with 14.

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247Sports lists Iowa Hawkeyes as team to sell in 2022

247Sports writer Brad Crawford says Iowa is one of the top 25 teams to sell stock of in 2022.

Iowa enjoyed a fast 6-0 start in 2021 and rode a four-game winning streak to close the regular season to a Big Ten West division title. A scoring offense that ranked just 99th nationally kept the Hawkeyes from soaring to greater heights, but, all in all, it was a very successful 2021 season.

Now, as Iowa replaces its top running back, a pair of talented offensive linemen and several key defensive players, there’s mixed feelings about what kind of team the Hawkeyes will field in 2022. 247Sports writer Brad Crawford listed Iowa as one of his top 25 teams to sell in 2022.

With an average preseason ranking of No. 17 (across six major polls), it may be hard for the Hawkeyes to live up to outsiders who obviously labeled Kirk Ferentz’s team as a contender in the Big Ten. Iowa plays top 10s Michigan and Ohio State in 2022 after missing both during last year’s 10-win campaign. Schedule favorability means a great deal in one of college football’s competitive leagues and this fall, that’s not an advantage for the Hawkeyes. Iowa’s core of linebackers will rank near the top of college football, but there are questions elsewhere in key spots. – Crawford, 247Sports.

Looking at the schedule, the dates versus Michigan on Oct. 1 and at Ohio State on Oct. 22 do ratchet up the difficulty meter. Ohio State is one of the most popular picks to reach the College Football Playoff and Iowa knows all too well that Michigan is the defending Big Ten champion. The Wolverines beat the Hawkeyes 42-3 in the Big Ten championship game last season.

Crawford mentioned Iowa’s linebackers. The Hawkeyes return arguably the nation’s best tandem in seniors [autotag]Seth Benson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jack Campbell[/autotag]. Campbell finished last season with 143 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and one sack. Meanwhile, Benson added 105 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception.

Iowa will be replacing one of its best players up front defensively in defensive end [autotag]Zach VanValkenburg[/autotag]. The Zeeland, Mich., product registered 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2021. On the back end of its defense, the Hawkeyes are replacing [autotag]Dane Belton[/autotag], safety [autotag]Jack Koerner[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Matt Hankins[/autotag].

Offensively, Iowa will turn to either [autotag]Gavin Williams[/autotag] or [autotag]Leshon Williams[/autotag] to step in for running back [autotag]Tyler Goodson[/autotag]. The interior of the Hawkeyes’ offensive line will be something to watch. Iowa lost the Rimington Trophy winner in center Tyler Linderbaum and its left guard Kyler Schott.

If Iowa is to match its 10-win feat from a season ago, the offense needs to take a big step forward even after losing several key cogs along its offensive line and its leading rusher. Defensively, Iowa figures to be stout once again. The Hawkeyes ranked 13th nationally in scoring defense, surrendering just 19.2 points per game last season.

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5 takeaways from Iowa’s spring depth chart reveal

Iowa gave us our first glimpse of the depth chart. What are the takeaways from the Hawkeyes’ spring starting point?

Football is back! At least a taste of it is anyways. Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz met with reporters and shared his excitement to get the spring slate underway.

“Certainly good to be back and it’s good for us as coaches to be able to focus on the 2022 team now, so it’s good to be back in the office and into it. As I said last time, you know, any time we get together, get started in January, it’s a new team, certainly a new season and a new opportunity on top of that, so it’s always good. As you approach spring football, there’s always promise and hope with the new season, a lot of excitement about that. I think that’s something that players and coaches both share. So it’s one of the great things about spring ball I think,” Ferentz said.

With the Hawkeyes underway with their spring practices, Iowa released its spring depth chart.

There’s certainly plenty to dissect from our first glimpse at a working two-deep for the Hawkeyes, so let’s take a peek at several quick takeaways.

The Big Ten’s top five safeties heading into 2021

A surprise #Buckeye makes this list of our top safeties in the Big Ten heading into 2021.

Ohio State football kicks off in less than a month, and we have been rolling through the best of the best of the Big Ten at each position. We have already completed our list of top five quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles, guards, centers, defensive ends, defensive tackles, inside linebackers, and outside linebackers.

I firmly believe that this Ohio State defense will be improved greatly, and I think that the defensive backs will be a huge part of that. This list may be shocking and a little different than others you’ll see, but hey, I’m always down for some hot takes. Let’s take a look at the top safeties in the Big Ten.