After a troubling season in which the Iowa defense did what the Iowa defense always does, but the Iowa offense stuttered and was put on the shoulders of one player, the Hawkeyes are looking towards the 2025 season. However, for players who won't be returning to Kinnick Stadium, some of them will be preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, while a few are preparing for the 2025 NFL Combine.
What is the NFL Combine?
The NFL Combine is a four-day invitation-only event that is put on for the nation's top draft-eligible players to showcase their talents to all 32 NFL scouts and executives. The Combine will welcome close to 300 players to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, the home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Not every draft-eligible player attends the NFL Combine as a player must be invited by the Player Selection Committee. The committee comes together early in the year and votes on all draft-eligible players, and if the player receives the amount of votes needed, an invite is extended to them.
At the combine, players will participate in a variety of physical, mental, and medical drills and tests to see how they will respond to the demands of the NFL.
Which Iowa players received invites to the 2025 NFL Combine?
Seven former Iowa Hawkeyes received invites to the 2025 NFL Combine including running back Kaleb Johnson, tight end Luke Lachey, offensive lineman Connor Colby, defensive lineman Yahya Black, linebacker Jay Higgins, defensive back Sebastian Castro, and defensive back Jemari Harris.
Johnson is rated as one of the top running backs in this year's draft coming off his best college football season. After two seasons of seeing split time in the backfield, Johnson was given. golden opportunity and ran with it, literally. Johnson ran for 1,537 yards this season averaging 6.4 yards per carry adn had 21 rushing touchdowns. He was a threat in the passing game as well, even with problems at the quarterback position, with 188 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Lachey and Colby round out the offensive players who head to the Combine for Iowa. Lackey could be the next great Iowa tight end to go to the NFL and make a name for himself, and Iowa is known as "Tight End-U" meaning the Hawkeyes have produced a lot of talent from the position to the NFL. Notable Iowa tight ends making strides in the NFL currently are George Kittle with the 49ers, TJ Hockenson with the Vikings, Sam LaPorta with the Lions, and Noah Fant with the Seahawks.
On the defensive side of the ball, Phil Parker is producing elite talent yet again, just like he did with cornerback Cooper DeJean who just put on a clinic in Super Bowl LIX with the Eagles. Higgins, Black, Castro, and Harris are all top players at their position and should be looked at as such by each NFL team.
Hawkeye fans can watch their former star perform at the NFL Combine on NFL Network from February 27 through March 2.