Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Iowa Football: 5 takeaways from 2018 season

By Quinn Douglas

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 01: Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes calls a play during the 2019 Outback Bowl against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Raymond James Stadium on January 1, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 01: Nate Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes calls a play during the 2019 Outback Bowl against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Raymond James Stadium on January 1, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

1. A.J. Epenesa might not be human

If you have yet to hear about the name A.J. Epenesa in college football, be prepared, because it is a name you’re going to hear a lot in 2019. Epenesa didn’t start a single game for Iowa in 2018, yet still took home First Team All-Big Ten honors at defensive end, racking up 37 tackles, 16.5 TFL and 10.5 sacks. Many, including Bleacher Report NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller, took big notice of Epenesa during Iowa’s Outback Bowl win.

Most in the NFL Draft world are in agreement that Epenesa will easily be a first-round pick whether he comes out after next season or the season after. I happen to think that if he can repeat his statline from this season, he could become the second Hawkeye to be the #1 pick in the NFL Draft after the late Randy Duncan did so in 1959, the first draft choice by legendary head coach Vince Lombardi (Duncan chose to play in Canada for more money).

Many, including ESPN, have already tabbed Epenesa as a preseason All-American coming into the 2019 season and if he lives up to the hype, he could leave Iowa City as the best defensive end to ever play in the black and gold.

Home/Iowa Hawkeyes