The Iowa defense has been one of the only bright spots over the past few seasons for the Hawkeyes. Iowa's offensive struggles have been well-documented, forcing the defense to stay on the field and hold opposing offenses to as few points as possible.
The Hawkeyes' defense faced a small regression last season, but still had a solid season. The defense ranked No. 11 overall in points per game allowed (17.8) and No. 20 in total defense (318.4 yards allowed).
A significant factor in the Iowa defense's success was its rushing defense, led by Yahya Black, Ethan Hurkett, Max Llewellyn, and Aaron Graves.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Black with the No. 164 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, with Hurkett, Llewellyn, and Graves returning next season.
Graves was a dominant force for the Hawkeyes last season, starting all 13 games at defensive tackle. Before next season, Graves was already named to the Lott IMPACT Award watchlist, and has now been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watchlist
🏆 @aarongraves95 ➡️ 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐤𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭@CTouchdownClub x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/KK0XU92FG1
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) July 29, 2025
Graves was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watchlist given to the nation's most outstanding defensive player.
Graves was also named as a preseason Second Team All-American by Phil Steele.
Graves was a dominant force on the defensive line for the Hawkeyes last season, tallying 33 total tackles (17 solo, 16 assisted), including eight tackles for loss and six sacks. He also added three forced fumbles and 3 pass breakups.
Graves will look to anchor the middle of the Iowa defensive line next season as the defense looks to get back to form.