The 5 best Iowa Hawkeye hidden gems taken in the NFL draft since 2000

It seems everywhere you look in the NFL, there's some player making noise who once played ball for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa isn't like your Alabama's or Ohio State's with constant high-profile players sent to the next level. But that doesn't mean some truly special players didn't come from the Hawkeye program.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, three of the four names in the class from Iowa are expected to go somewhere between the late third round to the end of Day 3. While Cooper DeJean soaks up headlines, and justifiably so, teammates Erick All, Logan Lee and Tory Taylor could be the next diamonds in the rough for lucky NFL franchises.

Despite so many great players joining the NFL from Iowa, the NFL still insists on overlooking the Hawkeyes - well, except for tight ends. But more on that later. Let's get into the five best former Hawkeyes to hear their names called much too late in the draft.

Mike Daniels racked up 15.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss over four seasons for the Iowa Hawkeyes. In the 2012 NFL Draft, he waited until the fourth round to hear his name called as 12 defensive linemen were chosen ahead of him.

While Daniels didn't end up being the best of the class, which included Fletcher Cox, he was easily in the top five when his career was all said and done. Daniels played his best years with the team that drafted him, the Green Bay Packers, notching 29 of his 30 career sacks and 47 of his 51 career tackles for loss across seven seasons.

Daniels earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2017.