The Iowa Hawkeyes don’t play a selfish style of football. In fact, they embody the epitome of team football with each player taking care of their individual responsibility in an effort to win.
That said, you can’t be as good as the Hawkeyes’ defense is each year without some star power mixed in. Iowa has a few stars on their defense and two of them have cracked ESPN’s top 100 college football players for 2024.
Coming in at No. 36 on the list is Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins.
36. Jay Higgins
LB, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 79 solo, 2 sacks, 1 FF
2023 ranking: 66Iowa’s defense has carried the team recently, and Higgins has been at the center of it. He led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally with 171 tackles last season, matching the team’s single-season record. The All-America selection was always around the ball, forcing a fumble, intercepting a pass and recording five pass deflections. – ESPN
Higgins is primed for another big year at the center of Phil Parker’s defense. He has a nose for the ball and is constantly in on tackles, which he very rarely misses.
Continuing the climb, Iowa’s next star defensive back, Sebastian Castro, comes in at No. 19 on the list.
19. Sebastian Castro
S, Iowa, Senior
2023 stats: 47 solo, 1 FF, 3 INTs
2023 ranking: NRCastro was everywhere last year with 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Among Big Ten DBs with at least 70 tackles, he led the league surrendering just 3.4 yards per passing attempt as the primary defender. He also allowed a completion rate of just 40% as the primary defender in coverage.
Castro blossomed in 2023 with his ability to take the ball away, play in open space, and make open field tackles on skill players to thwart big gains.
With an experienced secondary around him, Sebastian Castro will be able to play freely in 2024 and should see his name ascend on future NFL draft boards.
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