(Photo: 247Sports)
I love this kind of defensive line for Iowa.
I’m not sure I see an immediate impact anywhere, but three of the four defensive linemen in this class have immediate family members who have played or play in the NFL, and the other is a four-star recruit with abnormal length and the ability to play inside or on the edge.
Joseph Anderson is 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, with plenty of raw potential, and recorded a 49-foot triple jump last weekend at the state track meet. His father played in the NFL and while he still needs to gain weight and continue to improve as a football player, there is a lot of potential there.
Devan Kennedy He appears to be a true interior defensive lineman for Iowa. He has a big frame at 6-foot-3.5 and 260 pounds, and he continues to improve. His father also played in the NFL and he is a late riser, so he is still improving as a football player. He could be a big disruptor on the interior of Iowa’s defensive line.
Chima Chineke He doesn’t have the NFL in his blood, but he recently reached four-star status, and there’s a huge stretch there. Chineke can play inside or outside depending on how he grows, but Iowa I could see it as an advantage.
Here’s more from our national team from 247Sports.
“He debuted as an 87 three-star on 247Sports over the summer after an impressive performance at the combined events that marked the Plano (Texas) East defender as one of the Lone Star State’s tallest athletes in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Future Iowa Hawkeye makes jump to four-star status based on elite combine testing profile highlighted by arms almost 37 inches and an 85-inch wingspan, an impressive multisport profile, plus a more consistent game on tape as a senior. Chineke never had the ultra-productive breakout season that could have propelled him to a Top247 ranking, but there were enough signs of progress during his 48-tackle, eight-TFL, 5 1/2-sack senior campaign to merit a fourth star. If Chineke can continue to pack on weight while maintaining his athleticism, his frame should be able to support over 300 pounds, giving him as much of a chance as any player on this list to make some noise over the first two days of the NFL. Draft.”
Drew Campbell He doesn’t shine like these other guys, but his brother plays in the NFL as a former Iowa linebacker. Jack Campbell, and there are plenty of tools to work with there too. He could be a promising weakside asset in the future and as his motor increases, he could raise his floor as a player.
This class could boost the 2023 defensive line class that Iowa brought in last summer.
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