4 downs with the University of Iowa football team

Last in a weeklong position series as the University of Iowa football team heads into today's final spring practice:

SECONDARY

1. Concerns - Depth is OK at corner, a little inexperienced but OK. Safety depth is sort of non-existent, the product of having four-year (Brett Greenwood) and three-year (Tyler Sash) starters.

2. Additions/subtractions - Amari Spievey's departure hurts. But long-range, the draft exposure could help Iowa. If Spievey squeezes into the first or second round, that shows recruits that, yes, the NFL knows exactly where Iowa City is and the path to the league does indeed go through the Kenyon Complex.

Iowa's recruiting took a late turn into the safety bin with two commits after David Cato transferred. St. Louis' Don Shumpert committed early. He'll come in as a rangy (6-3, 185) free safety prospect. Ohio's Anthony Hitchens earned his stripes as a high school running back, but the 6-1, 200-pounder is a strong safety prospect. Tanner Miller, Iowa's last recruit, will begin his career as a strong safety. At 6-2, 195, he has the body for it.

Cincinnati's B.J. Lowery (5-11, 180) is the lone corner prospect Iowa brought in last February but will probably red-shirt.

3. Battles brewing - Right corner is going to be the spot to watch.

Jordan Bernstine (5-11, 205), who lost out to Spievey in 2008, has the best size of the players in this race and the most experience in Iowa's defense. Will the ankle injury take away from his speed and mobility? Probably not. By the time it matters, it will have had an entire year to heal. This won't be handed to him, but either way he's an important player next season. Micah Hyde will give the biggest push. He earned quite a bit of playing time as a freshman early in the season but that dwindled to some dime package time.

4. 2010 prediction - Iowa has good depth at corner and should benefit from the competition between Bernstine-Hyde and Greg Castillo-Willie Lowe.

Given what the safety position does to the body, secondary coach Phil Parker needs to have safety No. 3 ID'd.

- Marc Morehouse