The Iowa defense had its fair share of departures at the end of the 2024 season. After the loss of multi-year standout players like Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson, Yahya Black, Jermari Harris and others, the Hawkeyes will have quite a bit of production to replace on the defensive side of the ball in the fall of 2025.
Though there are certainly names on the come-up that should be expected to have a bump in playing time and contribution to the team's efforts -- Koen Entringer, Zach Lutmer, Karson Sharar and others -- Iowa seemingly always has a player or two rise through the ranks during spring ball that few expected.
Who could some of those players be this offseason? We'll break down five potential candidates that could break through by way of a strong spring practice season that kicks off in six weeks.
