2025 NFL Draft: Where former Iowa players are projected to be selected

IOWA CITY — The first night of the NFL draft could be relatively quiet for Iowa football.

If the mock drafts are right, the Hawkeyes could go back-to-back years without a first-round selection for the first time since 2016-18.

Iowa could be well-represented by the end of the week, however. The program sent seven players to the NFL Combine earlier this year — certainly no guarantee of getting drafted, but an encouraging sign — and have others who could receive NFL consideration.

Here are how five different mock drafts — four that project all seven rounds and one that projects the first three rounds — have the former Hawkeyes slotted ahead of this week’s draft in Green Bay:

Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler (seven-round mock draft): Third round, No. 65 overall to Giants

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Yates (three-round mock draft): Third round, No. 67 overall to Commanders (via projected trade)

ESPN’s Matt Miller (seven-round mock draft): Second round, No. 44 overall to Cowboys

ESPN’s Jordan Reid (seven-round mock draft): Third round, No. 75 overall to 49ers

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): Second round, No. 41 overall to Bears

It’s hard to top Johnson’s level of production from the 2024 season as he broke program records on his way to earning consensus All-America status. But Johnson is in a deep running back class, and his combine numbers did not do him many favors.

Iowa DB Sebastian Castro

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): Sixth round, No. 193 overall to Bengals

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): Fifth round, No. 164 overall to Eagles

Reid (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 235 overall to Buccaneers

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): Fifth round, No. 159 overall to Packers

Castro took a step back analytically in 2024 after earning AP third-team All-America recognition in 2023. PFF tracked him with 47 receptions allowed on 65 targets (72.3 percent) and five touchdowns allowed versus one interception last year.

Iowa DL Yahya Black

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): Fifth round, No. 165 overall to Eagles

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 239 overall to Cowboys

Reid (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 242 overall to Falcons

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): n/a

At 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds, it is hard to miss the impact Black can have on a defensive line. His stats at Iowa did not jump off the page, but his ability to draw double teams helped his teammates (including fellow draft hopeful Jay Higgins) put up impressive numbers.

Iowa LB Jay Higgins

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 219 overall to Giants

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 217 overall to Patriots

Reid (seven-round mock draft): n/a

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): Sixth round, No. 208 overall to Broncos

Higgins’ body of work at Iowa was stellar — tying a program record for tackles in a single season in 2023 and earning unanimous All-America honors in 2024. Higgins’ combine numbers were subpar compared to the rest of the linebackers in Indianapolis, however.

Iowa TE Luke Lachey

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 251 overall to Chiefs

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 233 overall to Bears

Reid (seven-round mock draft): Fifth round, No. 166 overall to Texans

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 235 overall to Buccaneers

Lachey’s injury history, coupled with Iowa’s ineffective passing attack in recent years, surely did not help his college production. He still has shown enough, though, to likely become Iowa’s sixth tight end drafted since 2017.

Iowa DB Jermari Harris

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): n/a

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 236 overall to Texans

Reid (seven-round mock draft): Seventh round, No. 229 overall to Pittsburgh

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): n/a

Harris had the best season of his college career in 2024, limiting opposing receivers to 16 receptions on 37 targets (43.2 percent). How NFL teams perceive his decision to not play in Iowa’s last two regular-season games — along with his 2023 gambling suspension and 2022 OWI arrest — likely will determine whether he gets drafted.

Iowa OL Connor Colby

Brugler (seven-round mock draft): n/a

Kiper and Yates (three-round mock draft): n/a

Miller (seven-round mock draft): n/a

Reid (seven-round mock draft): n/a

PFF analysts (seven-round mock draft): Fifth round, No. 160 overall to 49ers

Colby approaches the NFL with plenty of college experience after starting 50 games in his Hawkeye career. Colby, like much of the rest of Iowa’s offensive line, showed significant improvement in 2023 and 2024 and was a first-team all-Big Ten honoree as a senior.

Former Hawkeyes who are not included in mock drafts

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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