Drew Stevens opened up on Iowa's development process and why it's the best in the biz

As with most kickers at some point in their career, Drew Stevens experienced all the highs and lows that come with the position.

Stevens burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2022, taking the place of Caleb Shudak, who graduated.

He started his Iowa career by nailing 16 of 18 field goal attempts and scoring a team-leading 72 points.

After locking down the starting place-kicker role for all four years he was with the program (2022-2025), Stevens was invited to the 2026 NFL Combine, and had nothing but high praise for the ways the Iowa program prepared him.

Iowa is the 'best development school out there'

Reflecting on his Iowa career, Stevens said that, looking back, he was probably 167 pounds coming out of high school, and he personally would not have taken a chance on him.

Within the Iowa program, he developed into one of the best kickers in program history, passing the great Nate Kaeding for the most made field goals all-time, and he credits all of his success to the development process.

He called Iowa the "best development school out there," and not just because of everything he learned on the field.

Stevens said that the program also stresses the little things, like "not hats at the table," or shaking a new person's hand, which helps players prepare for life outside of football.

According to Stevens, Iowa is a "hidden gem," and prepares players in more ways than most people realize.

It is always hard to predict how well a kicker's college success will translate to the NFL, but Stevens has the size (six-foot-one, 215 pounds) and leg to become a solid kicker at the next level.