2019 Iowa Hawkeye-Defense
Defensive Line
Starters: DE AJ Epenesa, DE Chauncey Golston, DT Cedric Lattimore, DT Brady Reiff
Backups: DE Amani Jones, DE John Waggoner, DT Daviyon Nixon, DT Austin Schulte, DT Noah Shannon
Notable Depth Chart: DL Zach VanValkenburg, DE Logan Lee, DE Taajhir McCall, DL Jake Karchinski, DL Chris Reames
The Hawkeyes lost all four starters off of last year’s defensive line and that is certainly going to affect their depth. It may not affect their production from their starters as they bring up some more than capable replacements. DE AJ Epenesa didn’t start a game last year and yet he was still named 1st Team All-Big Ten due to his 10.5 sacks. He’s an absolute beast and he’s easily a Top 10 draft pick if he enters the 2020 draft following his junior year. DE Chauncey Golston flashed last season as the 4th DE. He was basically a pass rushing specialist so this year he’ll have to be a more complete DE but he’s a talented player. With most offenses focused on Epenesa on the other side, Golston will see plenty of one-on-one matchups, hopefully he can take advantage. DT Cedrick Lattimore was supposed to start last year but ended up losing the job to Sam Brincks, with Brincks graduated it is Lattimore’s job. He’s a senior with plenty of experience and the Hawkeyes will be counting on him to be a steady presence in the middle. DT Brady Reiff is the undersized but quick complement to Lattimore and while he isn’t big at 277 lbs., he is effective. The Hawkeyes have had undersized DTs before so they know how to best use them and Reiff will be just fine.
The backup spots are where the questions begin on the defensive line. There is little to no experience but there is talent. DE John Waggoner was a four-star recruit last year and redshirted so he could fill out, judging by the pictures, he has. Waggoner has no real experience but he is a talented player. Amani Jones was a LB last season but he is moving to DE to be a pass rushing specialist. Considering he just moved to DE this spring and then missed most of spring with an injury it probably doesn’t say much for the DE depth that he’s already listed as a backup. Jones brings an aggressiveness that should suit his pass rushing specialty quite well but he’s not going to be one to really spell the starters otherwise. The team will rely heavily on a three-man rotation of Epenesa, Golston and Waggoner unless either Zach VanValkenburg or one of the true freshmen can step up. DT Daviyon Nixon finally appears on the two deeps sharing role with Austin Schulte. Nixon brings size that no one else at DT possesses so he will find playing time. Schulte moved around a bit during bowl prep, trying out offensive line, but he is needed as depth on the defensive side and he’s settled in at DT. Noah Shannon is a talented redshirt freshman the team needs to step in and play at least a little to spell the starters. Shannon has good size and I like his potential.
Grad transfer Zach VanValkenburg is almost exclusively the depth beyond the two-deeps. He comes with a nice pedigree but at a much lower level. He could play some DT and some DE so he has versatility and playing experience. Beyond VanValkenburg it is a host of true freshmen; Logan Lee, Taajhir McCall, Jake Karchinski and Chris Reames. It’s possible someone shows enough growth to get a little playing time but I highly doubt any of them will play more than four games in order to preserve their redshirts.
Linebackers
Starters: WLB Djimon Colbert MLB Kristian Welch OLB Barrington Wade
Backups: WLB Nick Niemann MLB Dillon Doyle Cash- DJ Johnson
Notable Depth Chart: Jayden McDonald, Seth Benson, Logan Klemp, Jestin Jacobs, Jack Campbell, Yahweh Jeudy
The Linebacker position is in transition for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Not so much when it comes to personnel but in the way the position is used. Djimon Colbert and Kristian Welch both started at times last season with Colbert becoming a consistent performer as the year went on. Welch is getting another shot at MLB after having the job, losing the job, getting the job back and dealing with injuries. Barrington Wade is listed as a starter at OLB but that is where things get interesting. Last year Amani Hooker played a hybrid LB/S position now known as the Cash position. It was a rousing success and the Hawkeyes are looking to use it more, specifically against spread offense teams. DJ Johnson has stepped up as the new Cash and he’ll be used in place of Wade against teams that like to use 3 and 4 WR sets. Wade will still be needed against more traditional offenses like Wisconsin.
As backups go Nick Niemann is pretty damn good. He started most of last season and really only came out of the lineup due to an injury. It’s interesting to see him listed behind Colbert and not where Barrington Wade is at OLB. Niemann probably backs up any LB spot at this point given his versatility and experience. MLB Dillon Doyle, son of strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, is a redshirt freshman who is pushing for playing time in the middle. It will be interesting to see if there is a need to replace Welch in the middle for any reason (injury or ineffectiveness) will Ferentz turn to the redshirt freshman Doyle or go with the more experienced Niemann. Interestingly enough Niemann is also the son of an assistant coach, new assistant DL and defensive recruiting coordinator Jay Niemann.
With the prevalence of spread offenses, the Iowa Hawkeyes using two LBs and the Cash position, which is really a defensive back, that leaves less snaps at the LB spots. The Hawkeyes are really deep at LB given only two spots. Jayden McDonald, Seth Benson and Logan Klemp are all redshirt freshman while the team has true freshman Jestin Jacobs, Jack Campbell and Yahweh Jeudy joining the team this year. It seems unlikely that many players will remain with the Hawkeyes with only two starting spots available. The good news is that given the physical profile of most LBs it is possible some of these guys could transition to other positions. TE, FB and DL are the most logical spots some of these guys might try out.
Defensive Backs
Starters: CB Michael Ojemudia, CB Matt Hankins, SS Geno Stone, FS Kaevon Merriweather
Backups: CB Julius Brents, CB Riley Moss, SS Devonte Young, FS Jack Koerner
Notable Depth Chart: S Dallas Craddieth, CB Terry Roberts, DB Dane Belton, S Sebastian Castro, CB Daraun McKinney, CB Jermari Harris
The Hawkeyes have great depth at CB with four guys that have plenty of playing time experience. Matt Hankins and Michael Ojemudia are set to start this year. They have the most playing experience and they are talented players but they won’t have to shoulder the load themselves. At safety Geno Stone steps in as the top guy and he’ll line up at strong safety. Stone is a talented player who played well enough last season that the Hawkeyes were able to move Amani Hooker to the Cash position and continue to play great defense in the back end. New free safety Kaevon Merriweather doesn’t have any real experience and is a late comer to football as he only played his senior year of high school. He’s a top athlete, evidenced by the fact he was a basketball recruit most of his high school career, and that athleticism will serve him well as he becomes the last line of defense for the Hawkeyes. Phil Parker seems to like him, that’s good enough for me.
Julius Brents and Riley Moss stepped in last season as true freshmen when Ojemudia and Hankins were both injured and they held their own. Both have bright futures but for now they will back up the upper classmen. They both have excellent size and athleticism and the future is bright at CB. The backups at safety are a little less of a sure thing. Devonte Young was a WR until the middle of last season when the team needed depth at safety and he made the move. Young had been passed up at WR by a number of younger players and he excels on special teams so he moved to defense. He’s a selfless player who was looking to help the team and seems to have found his niche. He’s inexperienced at safety so the Hawkeyes will hope Geno Stone stays healthy and on the field. Jack Koerner is one of those typical Iowa walk-on safeties that Phil Parker is known to unearth. Koerner played offense and defense in high school as well as playing baseball and his overall athleticism will help him at free safety. I feel like I’ve heard this story before and it usually works out well for Iowa.
The overall depth at the position will depend on some freshmen stepping up. Two redshirt freshmen looking to distinguish themselves this year are S Dallas Craddieth and CB Terry Roberts. They need to show some development because Phil Parker has never been afraid to play true freshman if they are the best players. Just look to last season when true freshmen Julius Brents and Riley Moss stepped up at CB, it’s the reason Trey Creamer and Josh Turner both transferred. Craddieth and Roberts have to hold off a very talented freshmen group; Dane Belton, Sebastian Castro, Daraun McKinney and Jermari Harris. There isn’t room for all of these guys to play so only the best will survive.
Punter
Starter: Colton Rastetter or Ryan Gersonde (hopefully not)
The one guy not listed here is the guy everyone should want to win the job. Grad transfer Michael Sleep-Dalton from Arizona St. arrives this fall and unless Ryan Gersonde has found some magic, Sleep-Dalton better win the job. If Iowa is trotting out Rastetter and his lame rugby kick again it’s going to be a long season on punt team.
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