Iowa football 2025 season positional preview: Offensive line
Outside of the tight end room, the offensive line has been the position that Iowa has had the most success in when it comes to placing players into the NFL. From Robert Gallery to Riley Reiff to Brandon Scherff to Tristan Wirfs, and so many more along the way, the Hawkeyes are known for developing professional offensive linemen. And the 2025 group could provide a few more names to add to that list.
It's been surprising to see the Iowa offensive line struggle over the past five years. The unit has had great individuals, but the overall line has been middling, to say the least. Part of that is due to terrible quarterback play, but you can't blame the signal caller for all of it.
George Barnett took over as the offensive line coach in 2021 after Tim Polasek left. Polasek did great work with the line, and Barnett has struggled to find that consistency.
However, this year's line could be the turning point. With proven veterans and intriguing young talent, the 2025 Iowa offensive line could be a game-changer. Let's take a deeper dive into the unit.
Who's projected to start on the offensive line in 2025?
Starters from left to right: Jack Dotzler, Beau Stephens, Logan Jones, Kade Pieper, Gennings Dunker
This is the starting line from the spring and will probably be how the line shakes out when the Hawkeyes take the field for the season opener. Jones, Dunker, Stephens, and Pieper are no-brainers to start. The biggest question with the line is at the left tackle position, where I have Jack Dotzler starting. Let's take a deeper look at each member of my projected starting line.
Who's projected to back up the starters on the offensive line?
Projected backup line from left to right: Trevor Lauck, Leighton Jones, Cael Winter, Michael Myslinski, Cannon Leonard
The projected backups for the Iowa offensive line are younger guys with high upside. While they might not get to play much in 2025, barring injury, getting to learn and play behind greats like Jones and Dunker will help their development immensely. Let's take a look at the players who could very well make up the future of Iowa's offensive line.
Final thoughts on the offensive line in 2025
Iowa's offensive line has some experienced veterans in Jones, Dunker, and Stephens, as well as some younger guys who could jump in and contribute immediately. The big question will be what Iowa gets from the left tackle position. If Dotzler is good, this offensive line could have a fantastic season. If the left tackle spot is a question mark all season, things could get iffy.
Hawkeye fans will get their first look at the offensive line in action when Iowa hosts Albany on August 30. A lot more questions will be answered when they travel to face Iowa State the following week in the Cy-Hawk game.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
Packers defense has a new fumble-forcing emphasis for 2025 season
The Green Bay Packers defense has a new emphasis entering the 2025 season, and early returns at training camp are good. According to Wes Hodkiewicz of Jeff Hafley's Packers defense wants to force more fumbles this season, and the group is motivated by the current NFL record for forced fumbles in a season. Through four days of training camp practices, the Packers have punched a few footballs out of the hands of ball-carriers, suggesting the emphasis is translating to the field. Last season, the Packers forced 16 fumbles. The NFL record is 34, set by the New York Giants in 2010. To reach the goal would require Hafley's defense to more than double last season's output, but as the old saying goes, you get what you emphasize at the professional level of football. The Packers were plenty good forcing fumbles last season. Twelve different players forced a fumble for the Packers in 2024, including Keisean Nixon (3), Carrington Valentine (2) and Kingsley Enagbare (2). The 14 turnovers caused off forced fumbles ranked the Packers third in the NFL. But Hafley wants more. Part of forcing fumbles is arriving violently and intentionally at a ball-carrier, using a punch technique to pry the ball loose or having multiple players rally to the ball-carrier to provide an opportunity to strip it away. But a bigger part of the forced fumble equation is the strip sack, which the 2010 Giants all but mastered. That season, Osi Umenyiora forced an NFL-best 10 fumbles, and Umenyiora and Justin Tuck combined for an incredible 15 forced fumbles on their own. The Packers will need edge rushers such as Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness to actively hunt the ball when pressuring the quarterback, and pass-rushers in general must do a better job targeting the ball when closing in on the quarterback in 2025. Training camp is providing the testing ground. "You see guys come out in practice, anytime they're close to the ball, anytime anyone's close to the ball, punching at it violently," second-year safety Evan Williams told Hodkiewicz. "We're talking about angry, violent intentions. The picks are great, obviously, but I feel like it's another thing to go get a forced fumble because no ball carrier is going to give you the ball." The Packers ranked in the top five for takeaways in Hafley's first season as defensive coordinator, thanks to a strong mix of interceptions (17) and recovered fumbles (14). Interceptions are game-changing plays, but forcing a fumble often requires a more intentional act from the defense. Can the Packers punch out more footballs, create more strip-sacks and generate even more takeaways in 2025? This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers defense has a new fumble-forcing emphasis for 2025 season
USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
Cowboys' Blue-light special staking his claim to significant snaps come the regular season
Jaydon Blue Former superstore giant K-Mart introduced the Blue Light Special which offered temporary discounts on various items. The Cowboys drafted UT running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft and it appears Dallas may have gotten themselves a blue deal of their own. The potential bargain was on full display on Sunday. The first day of padded practice was the first live look of real hitting and Blue made several plays which turned a few heads out at Oxnard. Describing it as the worst running back room in the NFL may prove to be one of the biggest misevaluations of the offseason. On this carry, Blue displayed his cutback ability, as well as the acceleration that made him a mismatch nightmare in Austin. Shortly after, the defense got a firsthand look at how quickly Blue can climb to the second level. The rookie rusher seems to effortlessly get to top speed faster than the defenders attempting to corral him. Hard to ask for a much better first week of camp from Jaydon Blue What makes Blue especially difficult to guard is his pass-catching ability from out of the backfield. On this play, backup quarterback Joe Milton hits the running back in the flats forcing defenders to make an open field tackle on a very elusive runner. Joe Milton to Jaydon Blue "Yeah, the speed, the dynamic playmaking ability. I think he's a dual-threat guy. I think you can hand him the ball. He doesn't need a lot of space to make people miss, and his acceleration is uncanny. I mean, his ability to get to top speed is unique,"- Brian Schottenheimer on Jaydon Blue Just a day prior, Milton ran to his right while evading pressure just before locating Blue who made a one-handed catch down the sideline putting him into contention for the best catch in training camp. The crowd erupted in "Ooh's and Aah's" clapping at the completion although the rookie RB must remember some college rules don't apply anymore. The catch of camp so far on a diving back one-handed snag from Jaydon Blue downfield Camp is barely in its infancy but one cannot overlook the fact at how impressive and dangerous the fifth-round rookie could be for the Cowboys this season. Another big-play producer such as Blue would fit nicely alongside the current stars of the offense. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook and follow @ArmyChief3 to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL Free Agency: 36 players who could be in their final training camp with the Ravens
Jaire Alexander and Odafe Oweh are among 36 Baltimore Ravens who will be restricted or unrestricted free agents in the 2026 NFL offseason We're entering Week 2 of training camp, and while the Ravens are focused on daily improvements, it's not a crime to look ahead to what could be a completely different-looking roster at key positions. Baltimore added 11 players in the NFL draft and still has a huge Super Bowl window thanks to an MVP candidate at quarterback, elite talent, and several critical positions. Regardless of the outcome of this upcoming season, that window could be altered, with the Ravens having 36 players who'll either test restricted or unrestricted free agency during the 2026 NFL off-season. Several key factors include a pending contract extension for Lamar Jackson, Tyler Linderbaum, and Kyle Hamilton, as well as the contract status of all three tight ends. Odafe Oweh is one of the biggest names on the list, but the offense could look drastically different with the top three tight ends all set for unrestricted free agency and multiple big-name edge rushers. With Week 2 of training camp set to begin, we're previewing the 36 Ravens who'll be free agents next spring. CB Jaire Alexander In a move that can only be described as shocking, the Ravens agreed to a contract with former Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. The move came hours after quarterback Lamar Jackson confirmed that he called his former college teammate and asked the Ravens to "go get him." The one-year deal with Alexander is worth a maximum of $6 million, including $2 million in incentives. LB William Kwenkeu- Restricted Free Agent OL Joe Noteboom --UFA TE Mark Andrews- UFA The 31-year-old Andrews had his $4 million option bonus picked up, and short of some miracle, this is expected to be his final season in Baltimore with Isaiah Likely ascending. RB Keaton Mitchell- Restricted Free Agent The shifty running back spent the 2024 season working his way back from a torn ACL. Edge Rusher Malik Hamm- Restricted Free Agent Hamm spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve (ankle) but made his presence felt as a pass rusher last spring during OTAs and minicamps. Henry's 14 rushing touchdowns were tied for the second-most in the league, only behind the Bills' James Cook (15). OLB Kyle Van Noy- UFA The 35-year-old Van Noy keeps fighting off Father Time, but 2025 could be his final season in Baltimore. Van Noy made his first Pro Bowl last season after posting 12.5 sacks. OL Tyler Linderbaum- UFA The Ravens declined to pick up Linderbaum's fifth-year option, but still want to sign their star center to a long-term contract. Since he's been to multiple Pro Bowls, Linderbaum would have cost $23.4 million for the 2026 season. On Wednesday, just one day before the deadline, DeCosta exercised Hamilton's option, while the team declined Linderbaum's option, hoping to agree to a long-term deal. One primary reason for declining Linderbaum is that it would have made him the highest-paid center in the NFL. The fifth-year option values are the same for all offensive linemen rather than being broken down by position (C/G/T). Linderbaum essentially would have had a fifth-year option comparable to that of the top left or right tackles in the NFL, making him the highest-paid player at his position ahead of Creed Humphrey and others. DB Ar'Darius Washington- UFA After signing his free agent tender, Washington entered the 2025 season in a contract year, putting himself in a position for a payday. A torn Achilles will prevent Washington from duplicating his overall statistics. FB Patrick Ricard- UFA The 32-year-old fullback could take things on a year-to-year basis. OLB Odafe Oweh- UFA Oweh logged 5.0 sacks in two of his first three seasons since being selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Baltimore didn't deliver a long-term contract extension last summer, and that fueled his production for last season as the former Penn State pass rusher finished with the second-most sacks on the Ravens behind Kyle Van Noy (13.5) and tied with Detroit's Za'Darius Smith for No. 16 in the NFL. Baltimore picked up Oweh's fifth-year option before last season, putting him on the books for a $13,251,000 salary cap hit. In 2024, Oweh tallied 39 tackles (25 solo), 10.0 sacks, and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games. OLB David Ojabo- UFA The former Michigan pass rusher has one year left on his rookie deal and no guaranteed money. Ojabo saw action in 13 games last season, but he only has four sacks in three NFL seasons. LS Nick Moore- UFA DT Travis Jones- UFA Jones logged 42 tackles (22 solo) and one sack across 17 regular-season games in 2024. The 2022 third-round pick started in 15 of 17 regular-season games and projects to be the Ravens' top interior defensive linemen for the 2025 campaign with Michael Pierce retiring. CB Jalyn Armour-Davis- UFA Armour-Davis has played in just 19 games over his first three years in the NFL, and the former fourth-round pick could be the odd man out in a revamped secondary. CB Chidobe Awuzie- UFA Awuzie joined Baltimore on a one-year deal. LB Jake Hummel- UFA The special-teams standout joined the Ravens on a one-year deal. OL Ben Cleveland- UFA WR Keith Kirkwood- UFA WR Anthony Miller- UFA OL Daniel Faalele- UFA A Pro Bowl alternate in 2024, Faalele could be in line for a massive contract next spring. TE Charlie Kolar- UFA P Jordan Stout- UFA TE Isaiah Likely- UFA The 26-year-old Likely is the one tight end on the roster who'll likely sign a contract extension to remain in Baltimore. The expectation is that Likely will eventually leapfrog Andrews for the starters' spot at tight end, and 2025 could be that year. Likely caught four of five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Likely recorded 126 receiving yards during the playoffs, and he had a career-best 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns. Likely will play out the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, but Baltimore will have a decision to make. WR DeAndre Hopkins- UFA WR Dayton Wade- ERFA OL Darrian Dalcourt -ERFA Edge Rusher Adedayo Odeleye -ERFA TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden -ERFA C.J. Ravenell EDGE -ERFA Corey Bullock C--ERFA C.J. Okoye IDL --ERFA Devin Leary --ERFA
