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2025 AFC West Preview

Kansas City Chiefs

Most fanbases would be pretty happy after a 15-2 season and a trip to the Super Bowl but the Chiefs have set the bar higher, they expect to win the Lombardi Trophy.  Andy Reid’s coaching staff returns intact and this team will continue to be the standard in the league.  As long as Reid and Patrick Mahomes are together in Kansas City, the Chiefs are contenders. 

Mahomes is still one of the best QBs in the league and while a few guys may have caught up to him, none have really surpassed him.  He raises the game of the guys around him and if the offensive line had been better, he may have beaten the Eagles in the Super Bowl.  They had to make some choices on the line this year, RG Trey Smith was a free agent and they needed to upgrade at LT.  They traded Joe Thuney so they need a new LG.  The originally signed Jaylon Moore to be their LT but then Josh Simmons fell to them in the draft.  Simmons has recovered from his knee injury and already took the LT spot from Moore. They need either Kingsley Suamataia or Mike Caliendo to step up at LG, it’s not apparent either one is going to be that good.  Moore could also potentially replace Jawaan Taylor at RT, for now, he’s the swing tackle.  They did eventually re-sign Trey Smith to a massive extension so C Creed Humphrey, Smith, and Taylor should give them stability on the right side unless Taylor struggles.  These changes were necessary after last year’s Super Bowl debacle where the Eagles defensive line destroyed the Chiefs offense before it could even start. Moore is an expensive third OT but after last season, I don’t think the team minds paying a premium, I’m sure Mahomes appreciates. 

Mahomes is the guy who makes the skill position guys better than they really are.  At WR, they are looking to get Rashee Rice back after his injury but he’s also looking at a six-game suspension for a hit-and-run.  He’s their top WR once he’s back.  They did find ways to use Xavier Worthy last year as more than just a fast guy running decoy routes.  He’s still undersized and you can’t count on him being a big volume guy.  Hollywood Brown returns after a lost season due to injury, that’s a familiar story for him, but wait, hold up, he already has a foot/ankle issue.   JuJu Smith-Schuster is the only veteran to count on.  The one guy I want to see is rookie fourth-round WR Jalen Royals, he’s a good player.  RB Isaiah Pacheco hopes the offensive line gets him and the running game back on track.  They brought back Kareem Hunt but rookie seventh-rounder Brashard Smith is an intriguing back to me.  He could give them a little Jerrick McKinnon type of player. 

Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive play callers in football and he has had this unit humming the last few years.  The front four is still dominated by DT Chris Jones but he’s starting to get some help.  DE George Karlaftis is an excellent end and Mike Danna has proven to be a steady player on the other side.  It would have helped if former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah could have contributed as a designated pass rusher but he’s already been placed on IR.  DT Mike Pennel is a decent rotation guy but rookie Omar Norman-Lott is going to be needed to add something inside. The team wasn’t satisfied with the DL rotation coming out of camp so they traded for Derrick Nnadi who was a free agent they let leave in the spring for the Jets but decided to reacquire just before cutdown day.  He’s a familiar face they are glad to have back.  He’s already listed as the starter next to Chris Jones.   

Nick Bolton was re-signed at MLB; he’s the brains of the operation.  Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal fill their roles flanking Bolton at LB.  The secondary has Trent McDuffie; he’s an elite player who is best in the nickel role but can play outside too.  CB Jaylen Watson returns and they added Kristian Fulton hoping these two could play outside so McDuffie can stay at nickel.  S Jaden Hicks steps in for Justin Reid and pairs with Bryan Cook.  These are smart players who fit Spagnuolo’s style which is why they work. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The Jim Harbaugh era got off to a good start with an 11-win season and a playoff berth.  The team tried to commit to the run but the offensive line had some issues and they didn’t have the best luck with their running backs.  The offense has one of the better QBs in the league with Justin Herbert but they have lacked the overall talent at WR to take advantage of Herbert’s gifts. 

Herbert is considered one of the top QBs in the league but there is a question if he is held back by offensive coordinator Greg Roman.  Roman is a solid but unspectacular play caller. Herbert is also hindered by the lack of a game breaker at WR.  Last season Ladd McConkey was excellent as a rookie but he’s more of a move-the-chains, keep the drive going WR and not a downfield threat.  The team tried bringing back Mike Williams but he announced his retirement before training camp.  The guy they need to step up is rookie Tre Harris.  Harris has the skill set to be the big, downfield guy to open up the offense, but again, he’s a rookie.  Quentin Johnston played better last season but he’s still not a great player.  Late in training camp the team decided to reach into their recent past to try to help the WR group and they re-signed Keenan Allen.  Allen is a solid pro who is definitely careening towards the end of is career but he’s a guy Herbert will trust in key situations. The TE position doesn’t have any dynamic weapons unless rookie Oronde Gadsden breaks out.  Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin are solid vets but that’s it. 

The running game was set back last season because JK Dobbins couldn’t stay healthy and neither could Gus Edwards. The team decided it needed new blood so they signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton.  Harris wasn’t a factor in training camp due to an eye injury he sustained on July 4th due to a fireworks accident.  Hampton can be the dynamic piece they have been missing and it’s his job now.  He can be difference maker for this offense.

The offensive line got an emergency shuffle during training camp as LT Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending knee injury.  Joe Alt will move from RT to LT while Trey Pipkins gets the RT job unless they find an alternative before the season starts.  Mekhi Becton was brought in to be the new RG, he should help if he’s healthy.  Zion Johnson was the LG last year and Bradley Bozeman was the center. They tried to switch those two this preseason and the experiment apparently didn’t work because Johnson and Bozeman are back to their original positions. They were hoping the offensive line would be a strength but without Slater that’s a tough ask.  They have to just hope for competent play now.  Alt will be fine at LT, the other four spots have questions.    

Jesse Minter is a very good defensive coordinator but they are going to test him from a personnel standpoint this season.  They lost NT Poona Ford and Ford was the best player they had up front.  The defensive line looks like Da’Shawn Hand, Teair Tart, and Otito Ogbonnia which doesn’t instill confidence.  This defense wasn’t great at stopping the run last year and they lost Ford who was the best run stuffer they had.  Joey Bosa is finally gone after a few years of looking like they might cut him.  He’s not a huge loss because he’s injured more than he’s healthy.  Khalil Mack is aging but still quite good at OLB while Tuli Tuipulotu should step in for Bosa as the full-time starter. They need Tuipulotu to be a real player now, it’s his time. At ILB, Daiyan Henley is a potential breakout star but there was a last minute change at the other spot. Junior Colson, who was a third-round pick last year and a guy they were hoping would have a breakout season, ends up with a undisclosed injury and has been placed on season-ending IR. That’s a blow and now it’s veteran Denzel Perryman trying to fight off father time for another year. They need the ILBs to be good because the guys in front of them are average at best. 

The secondary was better last season than it had any right to be given the personnel.  SS Derwin James is a good player and his partner Alohi Gilman is solid but unspectacular.  At CB, they found some late round gems in the draft with Cam Hart playing well when he was healthy and Tarheeb Still being a solid player too.  Veteran Donte Jackson is penciled in at the other CB spot on the outside.  It’s not a dynamic group but Jesse Minter gets the best out of these guys.  For some reason, Minter also likes free agent signing Benjamin St.-Juste who came over from Washington. For the life of me I’m not sure why, he was never good in Washington but Minter sees something.

Denver Broncos

Sean Payton took his shot on his QB last year with Bo Nix and it worked out quite well for the Broncos.  Between a good rookie year out of Nix, a solid offensive line, and a great defense, the Broncos won 10 games and made the playoffs.  That was better than most probably thought the Broncos would do last year, now they need to build on that success.  Payton has the offense working for Nix and Vance Joseph is running an incredible defense. 

Nix isn’t the most physically gifted QB but he does all the things Payton likes in his offense.  He has athletic ability to keep a play alive, he’s excellent in the short to intermediate passing area, and he efficiently moves the offense down the field.  The passing game is a lot of short stuff but he does have one big play WR in Courtland Sutton even if they don’t use his downfield ability as much as they could.  Payton found a way to turn Marvin Mims into a run after the catch weapon in the offense.  Payton got some good play out of DeVaughn Vele too but between Troy Franklin stepping up and rookie Pat Bryant looking good, the Broncos felt safe trading Vele to the Saints.  That bodes well for Franklin and Bryant. Payton also went out this off season and got Evan Engram who is a playmaker at TE they just didn’t have.  He should be a favorite of Nix’s pretty quickly. 

The running game wasn’t good last year despite a very good and very healthy offensive line.  They let RB Javonte Williams leave in free agency and drafted RJ Harvey.  Harvey should be the starter but they did also sign JK Dobbins hoping he’ll be healthy enough to give them a veteran presence.  Dobbins is listed as the starter but that doesn’t feel like it will last and is probably not a great bet by Payton, Harvey is a more dynamic back.  Their offensive line of LT Garrett Bolles, LG Ben Powers, C Luke Wattenberg, RG Quinn Meinerz, and RT Mike McGlinchey started most of the games as a unit and they were quite good.  Wattenberg and McGlinchey missed some games but if they get the same health out of this group, they will again be very good.  Adding a more talented RB will enhance the running game. 

Vance Joseph’s defense was extremely tough to move the ball against.  They don’t have superstars on the front line but DE Zach Allen, DE John Franklin-Myers, and NT DJ Jones are as tough as they come.  Allen is one of the best pass rushing 3-4 DEs in the league, it’s not something you normally expect at that position.  These guys also push the pocket to help OLBs Nic Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper excel off the edge, and they did with both getting double digit sacks.  It makes the pass rush really good and that makes the pass defense overall, very tough.  One thing they need to do better is be strong up the middle. ILB Alex Singleton is fine but they wanted an upgrade next to him so they signed Dre Greenlaw.  When he’s healthy, Greenlaw is a star but he’s coming off an injury and it’s a risk. 

They took another risk trying to improve the middle of the secondary with another former 49er, SS Talanoa Hufanga.  Hufanga is the type of enforcer this team needs up the middle of the defense but like Greenlaw, he’s coming off injury and has an extensive injury history.  Brandon Jones is a solid FS to play with Hufanga.  At CB, the Broncos have the best in the game, Patrick Surtain II.  He was the Defensive Player of the Year so he gets the #1 spot even if he has some competition (Derek Stingley mainly).  Riley Moss stepped up to be the other outside CB last season and he was solid.  When you’re the guy opposite Surtain, teams look your way a lot. The team did draft Jahdae Barron in the first round and he’s going to be a great addition.  He will be the nickel corner, he can also play some outside CB, or he could be another safety.  Barron is a real talent and Vance Joseph will find a way to use him. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders were bad last year and with a coach like Antonio Pierce, a starting QB like Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew, and a running game led by Zamir White it’s not hard to figure out why.  Tom Brady has become a minority owner, they hired John Spytek from Tampa Bay to be the GM, and installed Pete Carroll as head coach.  That’s what it looks like to add competence all around, Carroll also hired Chip Kelly to be the OC after he won a National Championship as Ohio St’s OC last year. Retaining Patrick Graham as DC was also a good move.

The first moves this team made personnel wise were trading for Geno Smith to fix the QB problem.  Smith isn’t a long-term solution but Pete Carroll is 73, he’s not working on a five-year window.  It’s going to be an interesting mix in the passing game with what Chip Kelly will want to do, what Geno Smith is best at, and what the pass catchers can do.  Smith is a downfield thrower but the receiving talent isn’t necessarily built for that at first glance.  The best pass catcher is TE Brock Bowers who was elite as a rookie.  He can get down the field but he’s better getting the ball and making things happen.  Jakobi Meyers is probably the best WR they have and he’s more of a slot guy, over the middle type.  They drafted Jack Bech who’s an outside receiver but not a true down the field threat.  The best down the field guy is their fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton Jr.  He’s big, he’s fast, a he’s raw but he has really performed in camp and he’s listed as a starter.  They really think they found something in Thornton.  Tre Tucker is a nice speed receiver too and he should benefit from having Geno Smith around.  Smith is a huge upgrade talent wise; it’s going to depend on if they can put the offense together for him. 

The running game was awful last season with an offensive line that was finding it’s footing and almost no talent at RB.  They fixed the running back talent issue by taking Ashton Jeanty in the first round, he’s an elite talent.  He alone will make this running game better but he won’t have to do it alone.  They moved Jackson Powers-Johnson to center towards the middle of last season and thought he would stick there but in camp they moved Jordan Meredith to the pivot and JPJ is playing RG now.  LT Kolton Miller is a very solid guy while they liked what they saw from rookie DJ Glaze at RT.  Glaze is a work in progress but should get better with more reps.  With Meredith moving to the middle, Dylan Parham should be the LG with Alex Cappa as a depth piece.  The other big upgrade is Chip Kelly calling the offense, especially the running game.  He’s light years ahead of where they were last year with Luke Getsy calling the offense. 

Pete Carroll made a great call by keeping Patrick Graham as his defensive coordinator.  The Raiders defense wasn’t good last year but Graham got the best out of what he had.  They didn’t exactly stack the defense this off season as they seemed more focused on offense, but they did get some veteran help. DE Maxx Crosby is one of the best in the NFL and now he’s paid like it. He needed some help after team cut DT Christian Wilkins in one of the more stunning moves before fall camp even started.  Wilkins had some issues with the organization and let’s just say it ended ugly. They traded former starting CB Jakorian Bennett to Philadelphia for DT Thomas Booker IV and he looks like a great addition as he’s already a starter. DT Adam Butler is a solid player and if Malcolm Koonce comes back healthy at DE, that would really help.  Perhaps Pete Carroll can find a way to motivate Tyree Wilson and turn his career around so he’s not a bust at DE. 

At LB, they made a late off season addition of Germaine Pratt who had been released by Cincinnati.  Pratt isn’t an elite LB but he’s a big upgrade for this team.  Elandon Roberts was signed too but he’s a downgrade from Robert Spillane.  The secondary is where they need to really up their game.  They signed SS Jeremy Chinn and he’s solid, even if he’s not better than Tre’von Moehrig.  The other safety spot isn’t good at this point.  Rookie Darien Porter had a shot to start at one CB spot but looks like he’s been pushed aside by Kyu Blu Kelly, a guy I really liked in the 2024 draft.  Porter will still get a chance but Eric Stokes is the other starting outside CB.  Those could be upgrades at outside CB but Darnay Holmes is almost assuredly a downgrade from Nate Hobbs in the slot.  It’s a mixed bag but overall, there is more talent for Graham to work with on defense.              

2025 NFC North Preview

Detroit Lions

The Lions went 15-2 last season but came up short in the playoffs and now they have to replace both their offensive and defensive coordinators along with a number of coaches on the staff.  Dan Campbell hired John Morton to replace Ben Johnson at OC and promoted LB coach Kelvin Sheppard to replace Aaron Glenn as DC.  The roster returns almost every key piece and that will help the transition. 

QB Jared Goff comes back as the steady piece of the offense but he will have John Morton calling plays and a new guy, David Shaw (passing game coordinator), in his ear.  Losing Johnson and coaches like Tanner Engstrand, Antwaan Randle-El, and JT Barrett will put more on Goff to keep the offense on track.  Mark Brunell returns as QB coach and Hank Fraley is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator, that’s good news. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown returns as the alpha dog of this pass game, he’s incredibly productive.  Last season, they finally got Jameson Williams to be the type of playmaker they hoped he would be.  It’s up to Morton, Shaw, and the others to keep him progressing.  They have TE Sam LaPorta as arguably their second-best pass catcher although he had a bit of a down year last season.  With St. Brown, Williams, and LaPorta, they don’t have a huge need for more production from the pass catching group but they hope either Tim Patrick can stay healthy this season or rookie Isaac TeSlaa steps up for the third WR spot. TeSlaa has had an excellent preseason and it’s just a matter of time before he passes Patrick. 

Fraley is one of the better offensive line coaches in the league and some teams looked at him pretty hard for their OC job.  He returns to Detroit with the run game coordinator title and they will need some help from him keeping the offense running.  Jamyr Gibbs broke out last season and showed he can be a top-level RB and David Montgomery can still be productive. 

The offensive line has been top-notch for years but that will be put to the test this season.  LT Taylor Decker is still as solid as they come and RT Penei Sewell is arguably the best RT in the league who isn’t Lane Johnson.  The interior of the line is the question.  C Frank Ragnow retired this summer and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency.  The team drafted Tate Ratledge knowing they would need him with Zeitler leaving.  That also means they are counting heavily on Christian Mahogany’s development as a second-year guy.  Graham Glasgow was the LG last year and struggled, they are moving him to center to step in for Ragnow.  Glasgow isn’t great at center but for now he’s a better option than trying to teach the rookie Ratledge a new position before he’s even played a snap in the NFL.  They are dangerously thin on the line and the interior of the line is compromised and could be their Achilles heel. 

The defense is also changing the coordinator as Kelvin Sheppard was promoted to DC when Aaron Glenn took the Jet’s job.  Sheppard knows this defense well and these players so it should be a simpler transition.  The defense will be built around the talent of Aidan Hutchinson as he returns at DE from his season ending injury.  He should be 100% for the season but he needs some help off the edge.  The team has been trying to find a suitable complement at DE and they are running it back with Marcus Davenport, who missed almost all last season after signing with them.  They may need to look to re-sign Za’Darius Smith if Davenport doesn’t hold up again.  AT DT they still have DJ Reader and Alim McNeill is returning from injury too.  They drafted Tyliek Williams so he steps in as a starter until McNeil is ready.    

The LB corps feature Alez Anzalone, Jack Campbell, and Derrick Barnes, assuming they are all healthy.  That’s an assumption that could prove untrue but they are solid if those guys are playing.  The secondary just re-signed S Kerby Joseph to a massive contract and he and Brian Branch are an excellent duo at safety.  CB DJ Reed was signed to replace Carlton Davis.  Reed is more of a CB2 so they are clearly hoping Terrion Arnold ascends to the CB1 spot in year two.  Amik Robertson is the nickel with Rock Ya-Sin and Avonte Maddox as depth pieces. 

The Lions will be good once again but the coaching staff changes, the interior offensive line issues and the health on defense are all reasons to question where this team ends up.  The NFC North is not for the faint of heart and if this team’s performance slips even a little bit, all three teams in the division could give them trouble. 

Green Bay Packers

The Packers were 11-6 last year and they return everyone of consequence and have added a few key players.  Matt LeFleur is one of the better coaches in the NFL and his staff is intact for the most part so they are counting largely on the development of their younger players to help get them over the hump in the playoffs.  It all starts with QB Jordan Love.  He’s a truly talented player who they need to stay healthy and he should be entering his prime.  He’s already dealing with a thumb issue and they hope it doesn’t hamper him all season.    

The Packers have a bevy of young WRs to like but they don’t have that one ace they can count on when the chips are down.  For the first time in about a quarter century they invested a first-round pick in a WR, Matthew Golden.  He wasn’t my favorite prospect but it’s easy to see how he fits their needs. Christian Watson has been their only real deep threat for the past few years and he’s been inconsistent and is coming off an injury.  Golden can be that guy instead and really complement Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.  It also means counting less on Dontayvion Wicks, he’s a guy with suspect hands.  The TE position is in good hands with Tucker Kraft really breaking out last season and Luke Musgrave is good when he’s healthy. 

RB Josh Jacobs pretty much carries the running game on his back at this point until they can get something out of MarShawn Lloyd, he’s already banged up.  Jacobs fits the scheme quite well and while he’s only 27, he’s got a lot of carries on his legs.  It would be helpful if Lloyd could take some of the load.  The running game should be aided by the addition of LG Aaron Banks.  The team spent big to bring him in as a free agent and he allows them to move Elgton Jenkins to center.  Jenkins is an upgrade at center over Josh Myers assuming he agrees to move to center.  Jenkins didn’t seem thrilled about the possibility after Banks was signed.  LT Rasheed Wallace is a decent starter and RT Zach Tom is a good starter on the opposite side.  The team should be hoping Jordan Morgan wins the RG job after they drafted him in round one last year but they are also getting him time at LT.  Wallace is in a contract year and they just gave RT Zach Tom a contract extension so Wallace is probably a free agent next off season.    

Jeff Hafley took over the defense last year and transitioned them to more of a 4-3 base defense and while they weren’t elite, the defense was pretty good.  DEs Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness are penciled in to start.  Gary is an accomplished player who had 7.5 sacks last year. They would like a little more out of him but it’s Van Ness who really has to step up.  As a former first-round pick, he needs to give them more than three sacks.  They aren’t that deep on the edge so fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell has a chance to play.  The DT rotation has Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and Karl Brooks after TJ Slaton left in free agency. Those guys are solid on the inside, it’s the edge that needs better production.   

The LB corps still has Quay Walker but they are going to be playing Edgerrin Cooper more.  Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper will fill roles too.  Walker is coming off an injury and needs to steady his play if he wants to continue to play.  The secondary has Xavier McKinney at SS and then there are questions all around.  Evan Williams stepped in at safety as a rookie and played well and they hope their other rookie from last year, Javon Bullard, becomes their full-time nickel.  The team finally cut Jaire Alexander at CB but that leaves them with an unproven group at CB.  Keisean Nixon played well last year on the outside but he came up as a nickel corner and doesn’t have a long track record on the outside.  They signed Nate Hobbs to be the other CB; he’s also mostly been a nickel.  Nixon and Hobbs on the outside is tenuous at best.  Carrington Valentine is the other option. 

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are coming off an incredible 14-3 season where they finished one game behind the Lions in the division.  Head coach Kevin O’Connell is known as a QB savant and that reputation was only enhanced by the season Sam Darnold had under O’Connell.  Darnold was great until the last couple of games of the year and that’s why they didn’t re-sign him.  O’Connell will look to work his magic with JJ McCarthy this season.

After sitting out his rookie year with a knee injury, it’s McCarthy’s job now and he steps into an even better situation than Darnold had.  Justin Jefferson is arguably the best WR in the game, it’s either him or Ja’Marr Chase.  Jordan Addison is a great second WR and the team has TE TJ Hockenson, who should only be better another year removed from his ACL injury.  That’s three top receiving options for McCarthy.  The problem is that Addison is suspended for the first three games of the season, Jefferson is dealing with a hamstring injury, and even Jalen Nailor is banged up. Nailor isn’t the best option at WR3 even when healthy which is why the Vikings pulled off the much talked about trade for Adam Thielen. Thielen is a Vikings legend and now he returns to the team. He’s still a productive player even at 35 and he’ll be a reliable target for McCarthy.

The team also went into the off season intent on fixing their interior offensive line issues and they certainly succeeded.The offensive line was abysmal last year on the interior so we have wholesale changes this season. C Ryan Kelly and RG Will Fries were signed as free agents from Indianapolis and the team drafted LG Donovan Jackson in the first round of the draft.  Adding those three to LT Christian Darrisaw, one of the best LTs in football, and RT Brian O’Neill, a very good player himself, and you have an excellent offensive line.  Aaron Jones returns as the main RB but Jones is 30 and he gets banged up.  They didn’t have a great option behind Jones so this off season they traded for Jordan Mason from San Francisco.  He was a very effective back when he played in place of Christian McCaffrey last year, he’s an upgrade to the unit. 

Brian Flores is a defensive mastermind and O’Connell lets him do his thing on defense.  Last year it took some Flores magic to cover some of the holes in the defense so this year they got him a little more help.  The DT position was rough last year so they signed veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.  Those two are probably upgrades but there are some questions given they are aging players coming off injuries.  Allen probably still has something left in the tank but Hargrave is 32 and it’s not clear he’s going to be the guy he once was.  These two are a big bet that this team needs to pay off.  Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel proved to be excellent additions last year as both guys had double digit sacks.  If they can get last year’s other first-round pick, Dallas Turner (the non-McCarthy pick), to give them anything as a third pass rusher, it takes the defense to a different level.  Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman are good ILBs who have the skills Flores likes from his LBs.  Pace Jr. was especially affective for Flores. 

The secondary is where things could go wrong for this group.  They re-signed CB Byron Murphy, he’s become a Flores favorite but they are still a bit thin at CB.  Isaiah Rodgers was signed as a free agent to replace Stephon Gilmore.  Rodgers is a lot younger but way less accomplished.  He takes one outside CB spot.  Murphy does some of his best work in the slot so they are hoping either Mekhi Blackmon returns from injury or Jeff Okudah emerges for the other outside CB spot. Harrison Smith is 36 but still getting it done at FS while they hope Josh Mettelus can step in as a full-time player for Cam Bynum and Theo Jackson becomes the third safety. 

Chicago Bears

The Bears could be one of the most improved teams this season over last year and could still finish last in this division, it’s that tough.  They were six games worse than the third place Packers in the division last season.  Ben Johnson and his new coaching staff are probably worth three or four more wins alone after the debacle the end of the Matt Eberflus era was last year.  Johnson is one of the smartest offensive minds in football and he was smart enough to hire Dennis Allen to run his defense.  Allen has proven he’s not a great head coach but he’s also proven he’s a master defensive coordinator. 

Ben Johnson’s most important job is getting QB Caleb Williams to live up to his incredible talent.  Williams has skills that could make him one of the better QBs in the league, but he has to harness those skills in an effective manner.  Johnson can design an offense to highlight Williams and find the best way to use the talent around him, and there’s plenty of it.  WR DJ Moore is a legitimate WR1 in the NFL.  His usage last year was confusing but Johnson will fix that.  WR Rome Odunze is one of the most physically gifted WRs you’ll see, Johnson won’t squander that skill.  They signed Olamide Zaccheaus to be the slot guy and then stumbled into Luther Burden III in round two of the draft, Burden is a playmaker.  TE Cole Kmet is a weapon but rookie TE Colston Loveland might be an upgrade in the passing game. 

The offensive line was the biggest personnel issue last season and it was the interior that was the issue.  The team traded for LG Joe Thuney and RG Jonah Jackson and then signed C Drew Dalman in free agency.  If those three guys are all healthy and playing, that’s a significant upgrade inside.  LT Braxton Jones needs to be healthy and needs to improve. They have spent most of training camp trying to find a different LT but it looks like Jones is still the best bet.  RT Darnell Wright is solid and should benefit from Ben Johnson’s offense.  At RB, D’Andre Swift is the most likely starter and Rochon Johnson shouldn’t be forgotten.  However, rookie seventh rounder Kyle Monangai has really stood out in camp and the coaches love him.  I think he’s going to be the guy by the end of the year. 

Dennis Allen will run the defense and this group should work well for him. DE Montez Sweat isn’t the speed rusher off the edge you typically think of for the top edge guy but Allen prefers big, power DEs.  The team signed Deyo Odeyingbo because he’s also a big power end like Sweat.  This team’s pass rush will come from pushing the pocket more than beating teams off the edge.  At DT they are hoping for development from Gervon Dexter, a talented young player.  They also inexplicably signed Grady Jarrett to a fairly expensive contract.  It’s the one major move that I questioned from the off season but Jarrett is a pro’s pro and the team needs that for sure.  Andrew Billings is still around and they drafted Shemar Turner so hopefully for the Bears, if Jarrett doesn’t pan out on the field, they can cover. 

At LB, MLB Tremaine Edmunds is an expensive player but he’s been solid for them since they signed him as a free agent.  TJ Edwards was brought in at the same time and he’s a good LB too.  They mainly used two LBs last year and if Allen wants to use three, he may have to look to rookie Ruben Hyppolite II because there’s not a lot of depth. 

Mostly they used nickel so they use five defensive backs because they have a strong secondary. CB Jaylon Johnson may not be in the top, elite tier of CBs but he’s the next level down from them.  Tyrique Stevenson has had some ups and downs in his short career but he’s got talent.  If Allen can get him straight, they should be fine.  Nickel back Kyler Gordon is one of the best at that position in the league.  Safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard are a solid duo.  Brisker is a guy who could still get a little better and be one of the better safeties in the game.  Byard is an older veteran who just knows what to do.     

Final Preseason Thoughts on Iowa Football 2025

My Iowa Hawkeye Preview was written before fall camp started and as with any preseason preview, it deserves a little update now that fall camp is in the books and the Hawkeyes kick off the season on Saturday.  So here are a few updates, some thoughts, and a look at the season ahead.

The QB position worked out how I saw it coming together, Mark Gronowski is the starter, Hank Brown is the backup and Jeremy Hecklinski is the third stringer.  After watching them at the open practice I’m not surprised.  It wasn’t the most impressive day for Gronowski but you could see the skills he brings to the position.  It’s a huge upgrade at QB, not just the starter, the whole roster at QB.    

At RB, Kamari Moulton and Terrell Washington both missed a chunk of fall camp but they are still listed as the top two RBs on the two-deeps.  That’s who I had and it proved to be true.  One thing to keep in mind is that on the two-deeps Moulton and Washington were listed as co-starters with Jaziun Patterson and Xavier Williams listed as co-backups.  The Hawkeyes have depth at RB and it shows.  I think we will see them use six RBs this year after true freshman Nathan McNeil had a great camp and redshirt freshman Brevin Doll is a talented player too.

At WR, I said Sam Phillips was a wild card and he moved his way all the way to he starting lineup.  Jacob Gill, Seth Anderson, and Phillips were the three listed starters.  Anderson looked great at the open practice and if he can stay healthy, he’s going to have a good year.  Gill is just the reliable target every QB loves.  Phillips is the speed demon this offense needs to give it the big play capability it needs. Last year, almost all the big plays came in the running game from Kaleb Johnson, with Anderson and Phillips, there’s potential for big plays in the passing game.  Kaden Wetjen, Reece Vander Zee, and KJ Parker are listed as the backups so there’s some real depth with Jarriet Buie and Dayton Howard not even on the depth chart. 

The starting offensive line has LG Beau Stephens, C Logan Jones, RG Kade Pieper, and RT Gennings Dunker which we all knew was how it would be for those spots.  LT is listed as Trevor Lauck and Jack Dotzler which means it’s still not decided.  Lauck seems to be trending towards being the starter but I’m sure they will rotate, especially in the first game, to get a better idea. This could be a competition for weeks before they decide on one guy, or they could rotate them all season.  Bryce George is listed as the backup LT but Lauck and Dotzler are both listed as the backups at RT so basically Dunker, Lauck, and Dotzler are the top three tackles.  That doesn’t bode well for Cannon Leonard since he’s not listed on the two-deeps at all.  One other thing to note is true freshman Lucas Allgeyer is listed as the backup RG, that does bode well for his future. 

On the defensive line the one change of note is that Bryce Hawthorne is listed as the starting DT next to Aaron Graves.  Jeremiah Pittman is still working his way back from surgery and while Jonah Pace looked like a potential starter inside, Hawthorne has really impressed the coaches. Also, Brian Allen is recovered from his off season surgeries and is listed as a backup DE while Will Hubert, a walk-on, takes the fourth DT spot.  There will be a heavy rotation in the first game against Albany so we will see plenty of the young guys. 

There were no surprises at the LB spots except that none of the redshirt freshman (Cam Buffington, Preston Ries, Derek Weisskopf) were listed at all. Jayden Montgomery and Landyn Van Kekerix were the only guys listed behind the starters. Jaxon Rexroth is listed as the starting LEO and the backup to Karson Sharar on the weakside. 

In the secondary we got some clarity on some things and a little confusion on others.  Zach Lutmer was listed as the starter at Cash with Koen Entringer set to be the strong safety.  That’s good to know, however, Entringer is listed as the backup at Cash and like a co-starter with Xavier Nwankpa at FS, that’s confusing.  Clearly, Entringer is going to be on the field at all times but it’s going to be interesting to see how Phil Parker uses his safeties this season. 

At CB, TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee are the starters, that’s not surprising.  Jaylen Watson is listed as the co-backup at both spots so that tells me he’s the third CB. Shahid Barros and Rashad Godfrey are the other listed backups so the Hawkeyes have some depth.

That is all the notes I have about the two-deeps but just a few thoughts on the season.  I think Iowa’s passing game is going to be much improved.  It’s not just the upgrade at QB and WR.  It’s the installation of the passing scheme that Lester wasn’t really able to implement last year at all.  McNamara was never healthy enough to really get it going and Sullivan wasn’t the passer you need to run it.  Gronowski has the skills to actually run the offense the way Lester wants to run it. 

The biggest obstacle to the Hawkeyes having great season might be the schedule.  There is some good news, the three toughest conference games are Indiana, Penn St. and Oregon and all come to Kinnick.  The bad news is the road schedule has some hazards in it.  First of all, three of Iowa’s biggest rivalry games are on the road; Iowa St, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.  The Hawkeyes have had good luck lately in Ames and Lincoln and Wisconsin doesn’t look all that good but playing all three of those games on the road, sucks.  It’s losing one of those games that could derail a really good year for the Hawkeyes.  Also, Iowa has to travel to the west coast to take on USC.  I’m not sure if USC will be good or not but going west hasn’t been kind to the Hawkeyes.

The Big Ten slate doesn’t have any gimmes because at Rutgers, Minnesota, and Michigan St. won’t be pushovers.  Not sure why Iowa doesn’t get to play Purdue this season, we could really use a Purdue game this year.  This is the reality of the new Big Ten, there are no easy weeks.  I think this team is going to be pretty good and I’m thinking 9-3 or even 10-2 is possible but if the defense faulters like it did last year against Michigan St. and UCLA, 7-5 might be the reality.  I don’t make predictions on final records because I like to be optimistic this time of year.  Iowa could be fighting for a bowl berth the last few weeks of the season or looking for a potential spot in the College Football Playoff, neither one would surprise me all that much.      

2025 Iowa Hawkeye Defense Preview

Iowa’s defense will be undergoing a pretty significant overhaul with DE Deontae Craig, DT Yahya Black, LB Jay Higgins, LB Nick Jackson, LB Kyler Fisher, FS Quinn Schulte, CB Jermari Harris, and DB Sebastian Castro all gone from last year’s lineup.  DE Ethan Hurkett, DT Aaron Graves, S Xavier Nwankpa, and CBs TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee are the only guys returning with starting experience and Hall and Lee were only part-time starters.  While there will be major turnover to deal with, especially at LB, Phil Parker has proven time and time again he can put together an excellent defense.  While they will be counting on some young guys and guys without a lot of experience, they do have talent and Parker will have them playing well. 

The defense probably won’t be a top 10 nationally ranked defense but if the offense is better in the passing game, the defense will have a little more breathing room.  DE Max Llewellyn was a part-time player last season who becomes a full-time starter and should be ready to breakout.  LBs Karsan Sharar and Jaden Harrell have been waiting patiently for their shot and now all they have to do is hold off the younger guys from taking those jobs.  Koen Entringer and Zach Lutmer are stepping in for Sebastian Castro and Quinn Schulte at Cash and safety and they are talented guys.  Lots of new guys, in Phil we trust.

Let’s take a look at the defense a little closer. 

Defensive Line
Starters: DE Ethan Hurkett (Sr), DE Max Llewellyn (Sr), DT Aaron Graves (Sr), DT Jeremiah Pittman (Sr)
Backups: DE Brian Allen (Jr), DE Kenneth Merriweather (So), DT Bryce Hawthorne (So), DT Jonah Pace (Sr)
Depth: DE Joseph Anderson (RS Fr), DT Luke Gaffney (Jr), DT Will Hubert (Jr), Maddux Borcherding-Johnson (So), DT Devan Kennedy (RS Fr), DE Chima Chineke (RS Fr), DE Drew Campbell (RS Fr), DE Iose Epenesa (Fr)

The Hawkeyes return two starters on the defensive line with DE Ethan Hurkett and DT Aaron Graves. While Hurkett isn’t the most dynamic pass rusher at DE he is as steady as they come in both the run game and the pass game. DE Max Llewellyn was kind of the designated pass rusher last season and he is the more dynamic player in that aspect. The question will be can he step in and be a full-time starter and will that hurt him when it comes to his pass rushing? He should be fine but it would really help this defense if Llewellyn can actually ratchet up his pass rush even more as an every down player.

Graves has been playing since his true freshman season and brings a lot of experience in the middle. He’s an excellent DT that I would expect to become an even more dynamic player his senior season. He has all the tools to be dominant as long as he doesn’t have to cover for the other spot. Yahya Black is off to the Steelers and he was the unsung hero for this defensive line for a few years. Jeremiah Pittman will get the first shot at replacing Black but he’s only ever been a part-time player and the Hawkeyes recruited two DTs in the transfer portal for a reason.

The two backup DTs for now are the two transfers. Jonah Pace was the more recognized DT transfer coming in from Central Michigan. He’s a senior and seems like a guy who has the size and experience to compete, he’ll be in the DT rotation for sure. The guy who stood out in the spring is Bryce Hawthorne, the transfer from South Dakota St. Coming from the FCS level and only being a sophomore made him more of a wildcard and most thought he might take a year or two to adjust to the higher level. He was impressive in the spring and coaches seem to be talking him up. Don’t be surprised if Hawthorne ends up getting more playing time at DT than everyone not named Aaron Graves.

The DE spot is almost wholly counting on the return to health for Brian Allen, who had surgery in the spring, to be the third guy in the rotation. Allen is a dynamic player when he’s on the field and he’s the only backup with any playing time. Kenneth Merriweather is the other backup and he looked good in the spring and hopefully grows to be a solid fourth DE as he grows into a bigger role.

It’s a hodge-podge of youth for depth. Joseph Anderson, Chima Chineke, and Drew Campbell are three redshirt freshmen the team is hoping develop quickly if they need a backup DE. The wildcard here is true freshman Iose Epenesa, he’s the younger brother of AJ and at 6’3 260 lbs., he already looks like a college football lineman. AJ made an impression as a freshman many years ago and it’s quite possible Iose does the same this year. That would be helpful. DTs Luke Gaffney and Will Hubert are walk-ons who have earned their place on the team and can give the Hawkeyes some snaps at DT if needed but both are still a little undersized. DT Maddux Borcherding-Johnson and DT Devan Kennedy are still trying to fill out their frames. Kennedy certainly has the bloodlines to be a Big Ten DT; his father was an excellent one at Penn St.

Linebackers
Starters: WLB Karson Sharar (Sr), MLB Jaden Harrell (Sr), LEO Jaxon Rexroth (Sr)
Backups: Landyn Van Kekerix (Jr), Jayden Montgomery (Jr), Derek Weisskopf (RS Fr)
Depth: Zach Twedt (Sr), Kelby Telander (Sr), Preston Ries (RS Fr), Cam Buffington (RS Fr), Nolan Delong (So), Burke Gautcher (Fr), Carson Cooney (Fr)

Iowa is replacing two of the most productive LBs in college football history with Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson moving on and Kyler Fisher was a pretty good starter too. All three of the expected replacements are fifth-year seniors who have waited their turn and should be ready for their moment. Karson Sharar has been talked about for years as a guy ready to step in but then he tends to get injured. It’s time for him to stay healthy and prove he can live up to the hype. I expect him to be excellent. Jaden Harrell is slated to step into Jay Higgins incredibly large shoes at MLB. He stepped in for Higgins during the UCLA game last year and he struggled but now as the full-time starter he should be ready to go. Rexroth is a former walk-on who started out as a safety and grew into a LB. He brings great athleticism.

Landyn Van Kekerix and Jayden Montgomery are two juniors who have been biding their time playing special teams and waiting for an opportunity too. Montgomery might get his chance at MLB if Harrell struggles and Van Kekerix might get a chance if Sharar can’t stay healthy. Derek Weisskopf is the other listed backup but that might be a function of which position he’s most comfortable with. I’m not sure he’s actually better than his two classmates Ries and Buffington.

The three redshirt freshmen LBs are all incredibly talented guys and the two true freshmen are pretty good too. Preston Ries is setting records in the weight room at LB and looks like he could be an incredible player. If Harrell struggles at MLB, I’m not sure it’s a given Montgomery gets the spot, Ries might take it away. The farther into the season we get and the more experience Ries gets, that becomes more likely. Buffington is also going to push for playing time and all three of these guys should help on special teams.

Special teams are where seniors Zach Twedt and Kelby Telander will make their marks. Nolan Delong came in as a walk-on and he’s fighting for relevance as the younger guys are just so good. Burke Gautcher and Carson Cooney are two true freshmen who enrolled early and they are very talented too. It’s a little crazy to think about how much young LB talent they have and the team so often uses the Cash position so they only play two LBs most of the time.

Defensive Backs
Starters: CB Deshaun Lee (Jr), CB TJ Hall (Sr), SS Koen Entringer (Jr), FS Xavier Nwankpa (Sr), CASH Zach Lutmer (So)
Backups: CB Shahid Barros (Sr), Jaylen Watson (So), S Kael Kolarik (Jr)
Depth: CB Alex Mota (So), CB Rashad Godrey Jr. (RS Fr), S Ty Hudkins (So), CB CJ Bell (Fr), S O’Lontae Dean (Fr)

The secondary lost some very good, very experienced players and it’s going to be hard to replace Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte, and Jermari Harris but there is talent here. Deshaun Lee and TJ Hall are two guys who both have starting experience at CB but neither one has proven to be a CB1. Hall has the size and athleticism to really breakout this season and be the top guy. Lee has struggled at times but has also had plenty of good moments. There is very little experience behind them at CB so they will be heavily counted on.

Xavier Nwankpa is heading into his senior season and is moving to free safety where I think he will be more comfortable and could have the big year we have all been waiting for. He’s been a good player but he was a much hyped 5-star recruit when he came to Iowa so big things are expected of him. The strong safety position and the Cash position will be interesting this year because I’m not sure the coaches know exactly who’s playing which one. Koen Entringer and Zach Lutmer are the two guys for the positions but which one plays which is not completely clear. I could make the case either way and their skill sets would be great at either position. I listed Entringer as the SS because I think when the team goes to three LBs it will be Entringer at safety and Lutmer will come off the field. The team has three starting safeties which is why I didn’t list a second safety with the backups. Entringer, Lutmer, and Nwankpa can be interchangeable pieces so they will rotate as needed to fill the safety spots.

The Hawkeyes needed some experience at CB and they found it late in the transfer portal with the addition of Shahid Barros from South Dakota. He’s a senior with the type of physical size to hold up as Iowa’s third CB and give them some solid snaps. If Hall or Lee faulter, he could be starter if needed. Jaylen Watson is a young guy the coaches like and for now he has the fourth CB spot but there are no guarantees he holds on to it, there are talented youngsters behind him. Kael Kolarik is the fourth safety because Iowa is a little thin at the position. If they need a fourth safety, he’s the only guy who knows the defense at all.

Alex Mota was a WR when he came to Iowa because he wanted to be one but eventually the coaches moved him to CB and now, he needs to see if he can really compete there. Rashad Godfrey Jr. is a good young CB and he’ll give Watson some competition. True freshman CJ Bell is a talented player who could also make a run at some playing time, Phil Parker has never shied away from playing a freshman if he thinks he’s good enough. Ty Hudkins was a late transfer addition at safety from Purdue and adds some much-needed depth. O’Lontae Dean is a true freshman that could also make a move at safety if Parker thinks he’s ready.

Special Teams
K: Drew Stevens (Sr) – He’s awesome, and hopefully he’ll be kicking more extra points than field goals this season. I also hope he wins the Groza Award, Iowa has gotten screwed a few times when their kicker deserved the award.
P: Rys Dakin (So) – He wasn’t as good as Tory Taylor the year before but he’s an excellent punter and he’s still very young, he’s only going to get better.
LS: Bryant Worrell (Sr) – How many teams in the country would prioritize getting a transfer long snapper? Just one, Iowa. They didn’t want to trust a redshirt freshman with the job so they got a transfer from Boston College. Lavar Woods likes being the special teams coach at Iowa for a reason, they value special teams.

 

2025 Iowa Hawkeye Offense Preview

The college football landscape has undergone massive changes of the past several years and while Kirk Ferentz had to be dragged into the new millennium on the offensive side of the ball, he seems to be embracing the changes otherwise. Revenue sharing, NIL, and the transfer portal have upended the sport but Ferentz seems to be rolling with it at this point.  Iowa desperately needed to fix the QB position if they are ever going to be good again and the entire position has been reset in the last year.  Not a single QB has been on the roster for more than the last year and every one of the new guys is Tim Lester approved.  It was a microcosm of what was wrong with the offense overall.  Poor recruiting evaluations led to a lack of talent.  Poor coaching of the position led to no development of any talent that was available.  And a bad offensive system highlighted every weakness. 

Tim Lester and his new Shanahan-style offense, plus his ability to find and recruit new talent has turned over the whole roster at QB and remade the offense.  This is year two and now he has the talent to make the passing offense a complement to the running game instead of an anchor.  Throughout the spring the reports were that the offense was playing far better than the defense and that was with the backup QB running the show.  It wasn’t just the QB position that was the problem, the WR group has been an issue for just as long as the QB group.  That position has seen turnover too and looks quite a bit different now.  That’s a very good thing.   

The RB position is stacked even after the loss of one of the most impressive RBs Iowa has ever had, Kaleb Johnson, to the NFL.  The production will more than likely be by the group as a whole as opposed to one guy running wild but the run game will be fine.  That’s because the offensive line returns some serious talent and the new Shanahan offense is built on running the ball.  The line is missing a few key players from last season but they should be able to replace them.  The fullback position has largely been phased out and the TE position took a step back last season but guys like Addison Ostrenga, Zach Ortwerth, and Hayden Large will still be used on offense.  This is the best Iowa’s offense has looked in quite some time and the expectations reflect that.  Let’s take a look at Iowa’s offense. 

Quarterback
Starter: Mark Gronowski (Sr)
Backup: Hank Brown (Soph)
Depth: Jeremy Hecklinski (RS Fr), Jackson Stratton (Jr), Jimmy Sullivan (Fr)

The QB position has been a massive disappointment since Nate Stanley graduated and while the Hawkeyes have tried multiple players, including transfers, to fix the position, it hasn’t gone well. The lack of a legitimate QB coach and the poor evaluations in recruiting were the main issues but the poor offensive system made it all worse. Tim Lester came in last year and tried to fix it but just didn’t have the talent available and implementing his passing offense takes time.
This year, the Hawkeyes overhauled the entire position and that starts with former South Dakota St. superstar Mark Gronowski. Gronowski has over 10,000 passing yards in his college career and was once the National Player of the Year in the FCS. Gronowski is 6’3 230 lbs., he’s a great athlete who can make plays with his legs as well as his arm and he’s the best QB Iowa has seen in quite some time. If the combination of Tim Lester as OC and QB coach and Mark Gronowski at QB doesn’t fix Iowa’s QB problem, all hope may be lost. Gronowski missed spring practice after having shoulder surgery but he’s stepped up over the summer and has taken a real leadership role as the Hawkeyes head to camp.
The Hawkeyes didn’t stop with just a new starter at QB, they overhaul continues down the roster. Hank Brown transferred in from Auburn after starting a few games last year as a redshirt freshman for the Tigers. He was the guy running the offense during spring practice as Gronowski was rehabbing his shoulder and Brown distinguished himself as the backup QB. It would be helpful if he can establish himself as the clear heir apparent so Iowa doesn’t have to go chasing another transfer QB next off season. It looks like the Hawkeyes got a good one and Lester seems to have confidence in Brown.
Jackson Stratton is the longest tenured QB on the roster, he joined the Hawkeyes last summer as a walk-on. Things got pretty rough last year at QB and Stratton actually started a few games at the end of the season. He wasn’t terrible and it’s nice to know the Hawkeyes have some depth but Stratton isn’t guaranteed to be the third QB. I would actually venture to say he loses that spot to Jeremy Hecklinski, the late arriving transfer from Wake Forest. Hecklinski transferred at the end of the spring semester but he started games as a true freshman at Wake Forest and while he’s pretty undersized, he’s a talented QB. True freshman Jimmy Sullivan arrived in December and seems like a solid young prospect but given the way the transfer portal goes, I’m not counting on anything from a freshman QB that likely won’t see the field for a few years at Iowa. If Sullivan is still around in 2027, then we can talk about him.

Running Back
Starters: Kamari Moulton (Soph), Terrell Washington (So)
Backups: Jaziun Patterson (Jr)
Depth: Xavier William (RS Fr), Brevin Doll (RS Fr), Nathan McNeil (Fr)

Kamari Moulton started the first game last season when Kaleb Johnson was serving a suspension for the first half of that game. Johnson took over in the second half and never looked back. That doesn’t mean Moulton isn’t a good RB, he’s actually an excellent talent. He’s most likely the starter to begin the season and he’s going to be productive. The Iowa offense isn’t going to have Kaleb Johnson to lean on and it would be foolish to expect anyone to have the type of year like Johnson had last year. That doesn’t mean the running game is going to suffer. The offensive line should be good and there is a stable of running backs to count on. No one guy will replace Johnson but the group can be great. Moulton also started the bowl game and was quite good. He’s a very good RB who’s going to have to hold off some very talented players behind him.

I listed Terrell Washington as the co-starter with Moulton because I expect big things from him this year. Washington has moved back to RB after spending time last year learning the slot receiver position. Now he brings his skill set back to the RB position and after watching him in the spring and hearing the coaches talk about him, I expect he’ll be a big part of the offense. He’s filled out physically and looks decisive as a runner. He and Moulton should make a good one-two punch.

They won’t be the only guys to get carries but they should get the bulk of them. Jaziun Patterson is the battering ram. He runs hard, he runs low to the ground, and he tries to run through anyone in front of him. He can break a run when he picks the right hole but he doesn’t always have the patience to wait for a hole to open. He takes the handoff and he’s full steam ahead. Patterson isn’t the biggest back but he has solid size.

The true big back would be Xavier Williams if the Hawkeyes decide to unleash him. Williams is 5’10 225 lbs. and has the power that could be really useful if he shows the type of patience we haven’t really seen from Patterson. His running style could be helpful in this offense. Brevin Doll is the other redshirt freshman RB with Williams and he’s the taller, longer, more explosive athlete who will give the Hawkeyes that speed element you want. I’m not convinced we will see Doll a ton this season with so many guys ahead of him but he’s also the type of talent that might force his way on to the field. True freshman Nathan McNeil was an early enrollee who was here for spring practice. He looks like a talented back but he’s going to have to wait his turn.

Wide Receivers
Starters: Seth Anderson (Sr), Jacob Gill (Sr), Reece Vander Zee (So)
Backups: Kaden Wetjen (Sr), Dayton Howard (So), KJ Parker (RS Fr)
Depth: Jarriett Buie (So), Sam Phillips (Sr)

The upgrade at the QB position is clearly the most important upgrade the Hawkeyes have needed to pull off over the last half decade for sure, WR was a close second. Having an offensive scheme that can help WRs get open is really nice but if the guys can’t play, it doesn’t matter. These guys look like they can play. Seth Anderson transferred to Iowa a couple of years ago but has yet to be healthy for any real stretch of time. He finally had a healthy spring practice this year and looked very good. Anderson has solid size at 6’0 187 lbs. and he has excellent speed. If he can add the downfield passing element to the offense, he opens up a lot of possibilities for Iowa. It’s the thing he was brought in to do, now he has to stay healthy and do it.

Jacob Gill was the most consistent WR the Hawkeyes had last year through all of the changes at QB and the shuffling of receivers due to injury. He brings a steadiness and an understanding of the passing game because he probably got the most reps last year during actual games. That consistency will keep him on the field. He may not be a gamebreaker but he’s a guy the QBs can rely on to be where he’s supposed to be.

Reece Vander Zee got off to a hot start in the first few games last season while starting as a true freshman. A true freshman starting at WR isn’t a common occurrence at Iowa so Vander Zee clearly has the talent. He got injured and never got back to full strength so we never really got to see him after those first few games. He steps back in as a starter and he’s filled out his frame so hopefully he can hold up to the rigors of Big Ten football a little better. He gives the Hawkeyes offense a different skill set as he’s the traditional X position receiver who’s 6’4 215 lbs. and he plays to his size. Iowa hasn’t had a guy like that since Brandon Smith graduated.

I can’t remember the last time Iowa had depth at WR, if there has ever been a time Iowa had depth at WR. Kaden Wetjen is the All-American returner who’s hoping to become more of a WR and this one didn’t transfer to Purdue to do it. Tim Lester seems to have a plan to use Wetjen’s game breaking speed and find ways to get him involved in the offense. Dayton Howard was a guy who stood out a bit in spring practice too and he gives the Hawkeyes size like Vander Zee does. He’s 6’5 215 lbs. and started to get some playing time late last season. Lester pointed out that he’s coming around mentally with his game. With his physical gifts, that could make him scary. KJ Parker was the star of bowl prep to end last season and kept it up during spring practice. He’s not overwhelming physically at 5’10 184 lbs. and he’s not just outrunning everyone, he’s got actual WR skills and that’s going to get him on the field.

Jarriett Buie was getting playing time at the end of last year including having a solid showing in the bowl game. At this point it’s not as if he’s not progressing but if seems like other guys are progressing more than he is and standing out. Buie should play this year but his time might be limited if Vander Zee and Howard are filling the big WR role. Sam Phillips is the wild card. He just transferred to Iowa and while he was around for spring practice, he’s still finding his way. He’s undersized but he’s got elite speed and has a lot of reps at WR so his experience should help him. If Phillips adds some more big plays to the offense, things get very interesting. I don’t remember a time when Iowa had eight WRs they could actually play and it wouldn’t be a total disaster. The depth they have is quite nice.

Tight End
Starter: Addison Ostrenga (Sr)
Backup: Zach Ortwerth (Jr)
Depth: Hayden Large (Sr), Michael Burt (RS Fr), DJ Vonnahme (RS Fr)

The TE position has taken a little bit of a backseat to the WR group given the new offensive scheme, it seems to favor three WRs over Iowa’s two TE sets, and even more so, replacing the fullback. That doesn’t mean Iowa doesn’t still have talent at TE. Addison Ostrenga probably isn’t Sam LaPorta or TJ Hockenson but he’s a very good TE. He’ll be a part of the offense he just won’t be featured in it as long as Iowa has some WRs step up.

Zach Ortwerth stepped in last year when Iowa needed some depth at TE and showed he has some skills when it comes to catching the ball down field. He’s next in line after Ostrenga and if teams don’t pay attention to him, he’s going to burn them. Hayden Large will be the third TE and if the team needs a guy to line up at fullback, Large will do that too.

Michael Burt and DJ Vonnahme are two redshirt freshmen who add depth but will hopefully not be needed in any meaningful way this season. Iowa also has three true freshmen TEs; Mason Woods, Thomas Meyer, and Eli Johnson, I wouldn’t expect any of them to play this season.

Offensive Line
Starters: LT Jack Dotzler (Jr), LG Beau Stephens (Sr), C Logan Jones (Sr), RG Kade Pieper (So), RT Gennings Dunker (Sr).
Backups: T Trevor Lauck (So), T Bryce George (Sr), G/C Michael Myslinski (Sr), G Leighton Jones (So), G Kale Krogh (Jr), T Cannon Leonard (So)
Depth: G Cael Winter (So), G Josh Janowski (RS Fr), T Will Nolan (RS Fr), T Bodey McCaslin (RS Fr), T Lucas Allgeyer (Fr)

The offensive line was excellent last year and they return essentially three starters and they should feel pretty good about a fourth. The fifth spot is a question and they may need most of, if not all, training camp to figure out the LT position. The three starters are two guys who are rock solid and one guy they need to stay healthy. C Logan Jones is one of the best centers in the country and he should be a fairly high NFL draft pick. It’s been a journey over his multiple years as a starter; it wasn’t always pretty. However, he’s become a rock and he’s powerful and athletic and works very well in the offensive scheme.

RT Gennings Dunker is the other sure thing on the line. He’s a beast on the right side and he was a big reason Kaleb Johnson had a great year running the ball last season. Dunker missed spring practice after having surgery but he did it then so he would be ready for the season. He’s going to be a guard in the NFL but he’s one of the better RTs in college football. LG Beau Stephens is the other returning starter but he’s a guy who needs to stay healthy. He’s essentially been a starter for two years but he can’t make it through a season fully healthy. The Hawkeyes should have some solid interior backups but the hope is that Stephens can stay on the field because he’s a monster on the interior. They also need him to stay healthy to stabilize the left side of the line as they figure out LT.

The fourth starter the team should feel good about is new RG Kade Pieper. He’s stepping in to the spot vacated by Connor Colby and those are big shoes to fill. Pieper has gotten playing time since he was a true freshman and if you can get playing time at Iowa as a true freshman on the offensive line, you’re good. He’s a great athlete with some serious power to his game; he should be fine.

The LT spot is the big question. Jack Dotzler has been listed as the backup at LT for years but he was never the top backup tackle to come into the game. Nick DeJong is finally out of eligibility so the Hawkeyes will have to count of someone else. Dotzler and Trevor Lauck were fighting it out during spring practice and while Dotzler seems to be listed as the starter for now, that fight isn’t over. Lauck and Dotzler give the Hawkeyes options but clearly the coaches weren’t convinced either is the answer at this point. Enter Bryce George.

George is a transfer from Div. II Ferris State. He was highly successful there as they won multiple National Championships while he was starting on the offensive line. George played RT at Ferris St. but Iowa isn’t looking for a RT, they need a LT and it looks like he’ll get a shot to take that job. He has the size and athleticism to hold his own, it’s the step up in competition that’s going to be hard to deal with. Trevor Lauck is still a young guy the coaches are hoping develops at the position but he may not be ready just yet. Hopefully the coaches can settle on a starter during camp and let the five guys come together as a unit.

The backups at all the positions on the line are inexperienced so hopefully the starters can stay healthy. Michael Myslinski is the only senior among the backups but he doesn’t really have more experience than the younger guys because he’s mostly been injured throughout his career. Kale Krogh is a junior who’s never played in four years. Leighton Jones is a guy the coaches like and he has some versatility as he could play guard or center, so can Mylinski. If Lauck or George don’t win the LT spot they could be viable guard backups as well as RT backups. Cannon Leonard is listed as the backup at RT but it feels like he’s on the Dotzler trajectory of being listed as the backup but not actually getting in to play. He’s going to have to hold off some young OTs as there is some young talent at OT coming up behind him.

Will Nolan, Bodey McCaslin, and Lucas Allgeyer are all young OTs with promise who just need time to develop physically and they can be the future of the offensive line. The Hawkeyes have lost some young offensive linemen before they ever really got going over the past year or two and that’s why they have five verbal commitments in the 2026 recruiting class. They may have to find a few more one-year stopgap starters in 2026 while they wait for the young guys to be ready to contribute.

This offense has everything it needs to finally be a good offense. They don’t have to be a great offense but being above average would be nice. With Mark Gronowski at QB and Tim Lester’s offense I do think the ceiling is higher than just above average. The running game is going to be effective and the passing game is going to be much improved. If they get healthy seasons from the WR group (I’m looking at you Seth Anderson and Reece Vander Zee), and they find a LT (come on Lauck or George), the sky is the limit, relatively speaking. Iowa isn’t going to be Oregon or Ohio St. on offense, but they can be good.