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Iowa football: Hawkeyes’ five biggest storylines of 2019

By Andrew Wade

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 27: Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes directs the offence against the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 27, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 27: Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes directs the offence against the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 27, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 17: AJ Bush #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini scrambles out of the pocket as A.J. Epenesa #94 of the Iowa Hawkeyes pursues at Memorial Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 17: AJ Bush #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini scrambles out of the pocket as A.J. Epenesa #94 of the Iowa Hawkeyes pursues at Memorial Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Storyline #2: Can AJ Epenesa separate from Chase Young?

Anybody who has watched Iowa football the last two years, and especially last year, knows AJ Epenesa is a special player. He’s a guy with the work ethic of a walk-on and the talent of a 5-star, and he was born and bred to play Hawkeye football.

Now, in his junior season, with the opportunity to finally start, last seasons Big Ten leader in sacks will be trying to separate himself from his Big Ten counterpart Chase Young from Ohio State.

Right now in most rankings and mock drafts, these two are basically flip-flopping depending on the evaluator. Most recently though, Sports Illustrated put out a top-100 players in college football list, and it had Epenesa a few spots below Young.

All eyes will be on Epenesa as he begins his junior season.

With a good year, he could give himself a chance to be the highest drafted Hawkeye first-round pick since Robert Gallery.

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