Tag: matt hankins

Chargers sign 12 players to 2023 practice squad

The Los Angeles Chargers announced 12 players that will begin the 2023 season on the practice squad.

The Los Angeles Chargers began announcing members of their practice squad on Wednesday, signing the following players:

EDGE Brevin Allen

RT Zack Bailey

WR Terrell Bynum

DT Jerrod Clark

DT Christian Covington

QB Max Duggan

WR Keelan Doss

EDGE Andrew Farmer

CB Matt Hankins

TE Hunter Kampmoyer

DT CJ Okoye (IPP)

G/T Austen Pleasants

Teams can have up to 16 players on their practice squad, but for the Bolts, they can have up to 17 players because they have an exemption to add Okoye as an extra player through the International Player Pathway Program.

Therefore, five more players will be added to round out the group.

Stay tuned for more information.

Matt Hankins signs with Los Angeles Chargers

Matt Hankins is back on an NFL roster, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Matt Hankins has found a new home ahead of the season. The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they signed Hankins to their 90-man roster. The move coincided with the team waiving Kemon Hall with an injury designation.

Matt Hankins was a star in his five seasons at the University of Iowa. He finished his career in Iowa City—no, not Des Moines—with 212 tackles (136 solo), six interceptions, and 27 pass breakups. In 2021, Hankins was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist.

After a successful career with the Hawkeyes, Hankins found himself on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad ahead of last season after going undrafted. The Lewisville, Texas, native spent last season with the USFL Champion Birmingham Stallions. Birmingham has sent 15 players to the NFL this offseason.

As a member of the Stallions, Hankins played in two games. While he didn’t play much, he made his snaps count. He returned a fumble for a touchdown in a playoff-clinching Week 9 win.

Hankins will join a cornerbacks group that includes J.C. Jackson, Michael Davis, Asante Samuel, Michael Jacquet, Deane Leonard, Ja’Sir Taylor, Cam Brown, AJ Uzodinma, and Tiawan Mullen. He will look to stick in the NFL given a second look by the Chargers ahead of the season.

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Chargers waive CB Kemon Hall with injury designation

The Chargers announced the signing of CB Matt Hankins.

The Chargers announced the signing of cornerback Matt Hankins on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, they waived CB Kemon Hall.

Waiving Hall with an injury designation means Los Angeles could revert him to injured reserve if he goes unclaimed on waivers. But since he would be placed on injured reserve before the start of the season, Hall would have to spend the entire season on IR.

Hall was undrafted out of North Texas in 2019. He signed with L.A. and played with the team through the preseason before going on the practice squad early in the regular season.

After being released by L.A., Hall bounced around the league and spent time with the Vikings, Saints and Cowboys.

Hall was brought back in 2021. In the past two seasons, Hall appeared in 18 games, combining for eight tackles and a fumble recovery. He has primarily been used as a special teamer.

Chargers sign pair of players on Tuesday

The Chargers added a running back and cornerback on Tuesday.

The Chargers signed running back Aaron Shampklin on Tuesday. The move came after they waived RB Larry Rountree Monday.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard, Shampklin started his professional career with the Cowboys. He then spent time on the Colts practice squad.

Shampklin most recently played for the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). He appeared in three games and posted 52 yards on 12 carries (4.3 YPC).

Additionally, Los Angeles signed cornerback Matt Hankins.

Hankins played his college ball at Iowa before going undrafted. He signed with the Falcons in 2022 and then played for the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, where he was a part of their championship squad.

‘It happens naturally’: CB Riley Moss, Iowa Hawkeyes ready to replace defensive departures

All-American cornerback Riley Moss said “it happens naturally” that players move on as the Iowa Hawkeyes look to reload in the secondary.

There will be plenty of talk over the remainder of this month about how Iowa is replacing some talented members in its secondary. Hawkeyes head football coach Kirk Ferentz mentioned as much after another successful Kids’ Day at Kinnick.

It makes sense, too. Iowa is in the business of replacing 95 combined career starts between Dane Belton, Matt Hankins, and Jack Koerner. Riley Moss, the defending Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, shared his thoughts on how the Hawkeyes can navigate that hurdle and more at Iowa Media Day.

2022 Big Ten Media Day: Iowa Hawkeyes’ Kirk Ferentz previews the college football season

At Big Ten Media Days, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz had plenty to say in previewing the 2022 season.

One of the hallmark signs that the college football season is just around the corner got underway on Tuesday. On the first day of the 2022 Big Ten Media Days, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was flanked by linebacker Jack Campbell, defensive back Kaevon Merriweather and tight end Sam LaPorta to preview the Hawkeyes’ upcoming season.

After being introduced by Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren, Ferentz opened up with the following statement before taking several questions from the media. Here’s everything Ferentz had to say on Tuesday.

Top 5 Iowa Hawkeyes to use in EA Sports NCAA Football who never got a game

EA Sports NCAA Football was last released in 2013. Let’s look at the Hawkeyes who didn’t get a game that would be the most fun to play with.

Almost a decade to the date since the best video game of all-time was released, college football fans will soon be rejoicing as the momentum towards a new EA Sports NCAA Football game is full steam ahead.

NCAA Football ’14 released on July 9, 2013, and is still played to this day by many avid fans as it was the final college football game released amidst conversations of compensating players in the game for usage of their likenesses.

Fast forward to now, it appears that EA Sports will be bringing back NCAA Football in July of 2023. The 10-year wait for fans of all ages is almost at an end.

It has been rumored that EA Sports already has 120 FBS schools on board with the game and have begun working with them to get realistic stadium noises, music, and even chants. These schools will be paid out on a tiered basis depending on their top-25 finishes.

All of that said, there was an era from 2014-2021 that saw no NCAA Football games released. There is a large group of big time players that never saw themselves in a game. Joe Burrow from LSU’s title run in 2019, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in Norman, Okla., Christian McCaffrey at Stanford, and many more.

The Iowa Hawkeyes also had some guys who were like real life video game characters. Who would be the five most fun Hawkeyes to play with in NCAA Football that never got a game over the past decade? Let’s discuss!

Former Hawkeye and current NFL safety Micah Hyde calls Iowa a ‘cheat code’ to the NFL

Former Iowa Hawkeye and current Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde said that “going to Iowa was a cheat code” to the NFL.

The Iowa Hawkeyes just received some of the highest praise possible from one of their own currently starting in the NFL. While on the Pat McAfee Show, Buffalo Bills safety [autotag]Micah Hyde[/autotag] was asked about what Iowa did to prepare him to get to the NFL. His answer was clear cut.

“Iowa is an NFL program fresh out of high school. You come in your freshman year with Coach Ferentz and I had Coach Parker as my position coach back then so I saw him all day every day. They get you ready for the NFL,” Hyde said to McAfee.

What Hyde says is no exaggeration. Iowa is becoming one of the premier schools that is continuously sending defensive backs to the NFL that are not only latching onto a team but becoming contributors. Right now, there are 10 former Iowa Hawkeyes safeties or cornerbacks calling NFL teams home.

Dane Belton, Jake Gervase, Matt Hankins, Amani Hooker, Micah Hyde, Desmond King II, Jack Koerner, Greg Mabin, Michael Ojemudia, and Geno Stone are all products of the Hawkeyes’ program.

That is just the list of former Iowa players roaming NFL secondaries. Overall, Iowa has 48 players currently in the NFL. That is good enough for the ninth-most players in the NFL from all colleges.

Hyde went on to provide the best recruiting pitch of all later on in the interview. His statement resonates and the reaction of the show members tell you everything about just how powerful what he said was.

“Going to Iowa was definitely a cheat code and that’s why they produce so many NFL players because Coach Ferentz gets you ready,” Hyde said.

The players in the NFL speak for itself. Their production at Iowa last year speaks for itself as the Hawkeyes led the nation in interceptions with 25. The NFL bloodline is likely to continue with returning All-American [autotag]Riley Moss[/autotag] looking to become the next Hawkeye to make the jump. The recruiting is showing as Iowa landed five-star safety recruit [autotag]Xavier Nwankpa[/autotag].

The Iowa Hawkeyes continue to grow their reputation for development. They are now seeing that development turn into consistently winning on the field, a high-powered recruiting tool, and evidence that they will give their guys the best chance to make it to the NFL.

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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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