Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes Star Sadly Plunges in New NFL Mock Draft
Iowa Hawkeyes star Jay Higgins did not exactly have a banner NFL Scouting Combine, as he ranked last among all linebackers in athleticism score.
That probably shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, as Higgins has never been known for his physical gifts, and many have felt that his lack of agility could cause him to struggle on the professional level.
But still, that does not make Higgins’ brutal showing at the Combine any less significant, and it is causing the 22-year-old’s NFL Draft stock to take quite a nosedive.
Prior to the Combine, there were actually some who had Higgins’ pegged as a potential Day 2 pick thanks to a brilliant last couple of seasons at Iowa, However, since his less than stellar athleticism was on full display in Indianapolis, Higgins is falling fast in mock drafts.
As a matter of fact, Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network’s most recent mock has Higgins falling all the way to the seventh round, where he goes 232nd to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Is there really a chance that Higgins could drop that far or potentially even go undrafted next month?
It would actually be a complete shock if the Indianapolis native didn’t hear his name called in the draft, and I would even go as far to say that it would be surprising if he fell to the seventh round.
Higgins has an outstanding motor, a great nose for the ball and a very impressive football IQ, all of which certainly compensates for his questionable physical talent.
But perhaps teams will be scared away by Higgins’ pedestrian speed and short arms. We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks.
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When it comes to the Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 football season, it doesn’t get much bigger than Ohio State coming to Kinnick Stadium.
No one knows at this stage where the Buckeyes will be come Oct. 3, but Iowa has a chance to make an early impression against a team that is no stranger to winning the big one.
Iowa’s B1G schedule couldn’t get off to a worse start as they head to Michigan and then welcome the Buckeyes to Kinnick.
Hopefully for Iowa’s sake, their first three games against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa are enough to get them prepared. If not, things could get ugly.
ESPN Believes Ohio State is Iowa’s Biggest Opponent in 2026
The Michigan game will certainly be a test, but hosting the Buckeyes is a different animal. That gives the Hawkeyes an advantage like no other, and if there was ever a time to give OSU a run for their money, it’s in Iowa City on Oct. 3.
“The Hawkeyes haven’t faced Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium since 2017, when Nate Stanley threw five touchdowns as they stunned the Buckeyes 55-24. An early October win over Ohio State could propel Iowa into the Big Ten title and playoff conversations,” Jake Trotter wrote.
To put things into perspective, Indiana and Oregon were the other two teams that had the Buckeyes listed as their defining game in the 2026 season. Shockingly, Iowa was actually selected against a team, that being Minnesota. Seeing as that’s for the Floyd of Rosedale, it makes complete sense.
Iowa Can’t Let Regular Season Opportunities Go To Waste
Last year was seemingly the Hawkeyes’ first time to actually make the College Football Playoffs. They came up short as their losses to No. 16 Iowa State, No. 11 Indiana, No. 9 Oregon and No. 17 USC all added up. Sure, those were by a combined 15 points, but that doesn’t matter, as it’s bad enough that a three-loss team made the playoffs.
Iowa ended with a bang as they took down No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 34-27. Now, all eyes are on either Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown. One of those men will have a chance to make their first B1G start at the Big House in Michigan.
It doesn’t get any tougher than that, as Iowa is immediately putting their new QB into deep water. They’ll have three games prior to that to get up to speed, but other than that, it’s go time as OSU awaits after their trip to Michigan.
Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!
MANCHESTER, Iowa — The state of Iowa lost a titan of the prep coaching world this week. Former Kee High School baseball coach Gene Schultz died on Monday at the age of 80.
Schultz spent 45 seasons as the baseball coach at Kee, helping turn the program into an Iowa dynasty. He won 9 State championships (not counting 2 fall titles, which the IHSAA doesn’t recognize in the record books), and took the Hawks to 19 State tournaments, which is also the most in Iowa history.
His 1,754 wins are not only the most in Iowa history, but the most of any high school baseball coach in the country.
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