Which of Iowa’s undrafted free agents found best NFL fits in 2025

IOWA CITY — The path to an NFL 53-man roster can be daunting for an undrafted free agent.

None of the three undrafted free agents from Iowa in last year’s draft class survived the cut ahead of the 2024 season. (None of the 2024 undrafted free agents from Iowa State or Northern Iowa made the cut either.)

Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather was an exception in 2023 when he made the Buccaneers’ 53-man roster, and he remains is on the Bucs’ roster two years later.

Here is a look at the situations the four Hawkeye undrafted free agents now face with their NFL teams:

LB Jay Higgins

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Higgins’ consolation for not getting drafted is a relatively favorable path to a 53-man roster in Baltimore.

The Ravens went into the draft with a need at inside linebacker after Malik Harrison and Chris Board left via free agency. After star player Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson, they have a significant drop-off in experience.

Higgins’ competition for two or possibly three roster spots is Jake Hummel, William Kwenkeu and fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan.

Hummel, an undrafted free agent in 2022 from Iowa State, mostly saw action on special teams in his first three years in the NFL. Kwenkeu, also an undrafted free agent in 2022, has appeared in eight games (with that being almost exclusively on special teams). Buchanan put up better combine numbers than Higgins, but Iowa’s unanimous All-American had far superior college production.

DB Sebastian Castro

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Castro is the latest player to go from Iowa City to the Steel City, joining 2025 draft picks Kaleb Johnson and Yahya Black and 2024 draft pick Logan Lee.

The Steelers kept 10 defensive backs on their initial 53-man rosters in 2023 and 2024. If they do the same in 2025, that theoretically would leave five safety spots up for grabs.

Pro Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott are the obvious top two options as returning starters in 2025. Juan Thornhill also had a substantial role in Pittsburgh’s 2024 secondary.

That potentially leaves veteran Miles Killebrew and 2021 sixth-rounder Joshuah Bledsoe as Castro’s main competition at this point for two presumed roster spots. Killebrew’s 2024 contributions were mostly on special teams, and Bledsoe was signed to a reserve/future contract earlier this year.

LS Luke Elkin

Team: Chicago Bears

The Hawkeyes are well-represented in the Bears’ specialists room as long snapper Elkin reunites with punter Tory Taylor.

Elkin’s competition for a 53-man roster spot will be five-year veteran Scott Daly, who signed a one-year contract to stay in Chicago earlier this year. Daly worked with Taylor in the Hawkeye’s rookie season after Detroit cut him at the end of training camp in favor of a 2024 undrafted free agent.

Daly has some familiarity with new head coach Ben Johnson, who previously had various roles on the Lions’ staff. But if Johnson takes the same approach to long snapper that his colleagues in Detroit took, Elkin could potentially have an appealing opportunity.

DB Jermari Harris

Team: Tennessee Titans

Harris elevated his game to another level in 2024 — his sixth and final season as a Hawkeye. He may need to elevate his game again to earn a spot on the Titans’ 53-man roster in 2025.

Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Roger McCreary, Darrell Baker Jr. and L’Jarius Sneed all remain on the Titans’ roster after playing more than 300 defensive snaps in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.

The Titans had four cornerbacks on their initial 53-man roster in 2024 and five in 2023. That means Iowa’s Harris might have to compete with 2025 sixth-rounder Marcus Harris, 2024 undrafted free agent Gabe Jeudy-Lally and any other 2025 undrafted free agents for potentially one roster spot.

Other notes

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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