Is this the year in which we finally get to see the real version of Ethan Hurkett?
It feels as though we’ve just been waiting for the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native to break out for the Hawkeyes, but due to some unfortunate circumstances out of his control, it just hasn’t materialized yet. There was a lot of hype surrounding Hurkett entering the 2021 Hawkeyes season. After redshirting a year and transitioning from linebacker to defensive end, Hurkett faced a setback in his freshman year.
A knee injury knocked him out of commission for 11 games, derailing any sort of momentum he had entering the season. Last year was sort of a recovery year for Hurkett, trying to get himself back to where he was pre-injury. Now, if you believe defensive coordinator Phil Parker, he is back and ready to make an impact.
Phil Parker says that Iowa’s defensive line is the deepest part of the team. Adds that Jeremiah Pittman has had a great spring and Ethan Hurkett is back to his preinjury self.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) April 20, 2023
While Iowa returns a ton of experienced starters along its defensive line, they will be looking for new faces to step up as featured rotational pieces. The Hawkeyes lost a dynamic disruptor in Lukas Van Ness this offseason and are seeking a new generation of Hawks to seize the opportunity.
Can this be the year where we finally see Ethan Hurkett take full advantage of that opportunity?
Ethan Hurkett’s Preseason Player Profile
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 252
Class in 2023: Jr.
Recruiting Ranking
| Stars | Overall | State | Position | |
| 247 | 3 | N/A | 7 | 31 |
| Rivals | 3 | N/A | 6 | 28 |
| ESPN | 3 | N/A | 8 | 33 |
| On3 Recruiting | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 247 Composite | 3 | 841 | 8 | 37 |
Before Iowa
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City Press-Citizen via Imagn Content Services, LLC
- Earned first-team all-state honors as a senior
- District Defensive Player of the Year as a senior
- First-team all-metro, all-district, and all-area as a senior
Career Stats
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| 2020 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | DL | |||||||||||||||
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | DL | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2022 | Iowa | Big Ten | JR | DL | 13 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | Iowa | 12 | 7 | 19 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Depth Chart Overview
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
Hurkett is currently the backup to senior Joe Evans at defensive end. With the departure of Lukas Van Ness and the subsequent elevation of Deontae Craig to starter, Ethan Hurkett has an opportunity to be a big rotational piece for the Hawkeyes.
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