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Iowa football: Former UDFA turning heads on special teams in NFL

By Andrew Wade

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 17: Ben Niemann #56 of the Kansas City Chiefs returns an interception for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during a preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 17, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 17: Ben Niemann #56 of the Kansas City Chiefs returns an interception for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during a preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 17, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Another former Iowa football player was recognized for his outstanding play in the NFL this season on the Kansas City Chief’s special teams unit.

Former Iowa football player Ben Niemann was apart of a legendary trio of linebackers on the Hawkeyes that included All-American and current Denver Bronco Josey Jewell.

After not being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, Niemann’s NFL dreams were on life support. Life as an undrafted free agent is not easy and nothing is guaranteed.

Niemann, however, grinded and would go on to make the opening day roster for the Kansas City Chiefs. He would finish his season with 7 tackles total.

For an undrafted free agent, just making the team and staying on it is a big deal. As a second-year player, Niemann should have a little bit more confidence heading into this season about his roster stability because he was recently named Pro Football Focus’ top special teams player in the NFL.

Special teams can keep guys on NFL rosters for a long time, just look at New England’s Matthew Slater who has carved out a great career as New England’s special teams stalwart. Slater is technically a wide receiver but has just one catch to his name.

For Niemann, his special teams play could be the difference in him making the roster in a crowded linebacker room that features 12 players including Niemann. As it stands today, he is the third string linebacker after the acquisition of New York’s Darron Lee in a trade last week bumped him further down in the pecking order.

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The current group of 2019 undrafted free agents from the Iowa football should look at the example Niemann has set about how to stick in the NFL. Nick Easley, Jake Gervase, and Parker Hesse all will need to show their worth on the special teams unit if they want to stick with their respective teams at the start of the season.