The consensus around the Iowa Football program is that the secondary should be one of the deepest groups on the squad next season.
The secondary returns rising star Zach Lutmer, alongside talented defensive backs Jaylen Watson and Rashad Godfrey Jr. The program also added multiple talented players from the portal and the 2026 recruiting class, including Anthony Hawkins (transfer), Tyler Brown (transfer), Xavier Styles (transfer), and Darion Jones (2026 class).
The group is young and talented, and the lone veteran is confident he will make the jump next season in his final year with the program.
Deshaun Lee is confident he will take a step forward next season
Much-maligned defensive back Deshaun Lee has been talked about a lot in the past, and a lot of it has been due to his inconsistency. He was thrust into duty as a redshirt freshman in 2023 after Cooper DeJean suffered a season-ending leg injury, and he was serviceable alongside Jermari Harris.
He then split backup cornerback duties with TJ Hall the next season, and both struggled mightily. Lee was benched in favor of John Nestor, and then he was torched alongside Hall by Missouri in the Music City Bowl.
After a slow start last year, Lee took a backseat to Hall as Hall became Iowa's clear CB1, but now that Hall is in the NFL, it's Lee's job to lose, and he is embracing the opportunity. Lee spoke to reporters after spring practices and said he is "confident" he will take the next step and has learned from his past adversity and failures.
Confident and the only senior in the group, Lee is not only ready to take the next step but also to pass on his knowledge and experience to the younger guys.
Lee recently spoke with 247Sports' Eliot Clough about taking the next step in his development and embracing his role as a veteran leader for the young guys. He said he's got to lead the young guys by example and teach them what he's learned over time. He also mentioned he is ready to do that because he's had good leaders before him, like Cooper DeJean and Kaevon Merriweather.
Lee has received a lot of chances to succeed, and it will be interesting to see if he can put it all together in his final season in Iowa City. His track record suggests he is better suited to a CB2 role, but if he has actually reached the next level in his development, it is a testament to Iowa's developmental process.
After a disastrous season as CB2 as a sophomore, Lee has steadily improved, and even though he has been overshadowed by other defensive backs throughout his five years in Iowa City, the program needs him to become a leader next season. While he might not explode as other defensive backs have in their senior seasons, his leadership alone is very valuable to a young secondary.
No one will ever doubt a Phil Parker-coached team, and if Lee can take that next step next season, it makes the secondary even deeper, and it will be one of the best groups on the squad.
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