Iowa’s Aaron Graves Leads a Strong Cast of 2025 Hawkeye Standouts
Every Big Ten contender needs stars who win on schedule. Iowa has them, and Aaron Graves leads the charge. Around him is a group that flips downs, controls leverage, and punishes mistakes.
Meet the outstanding Hawkeyes, whose impact travels from August hype to November results.
Aaron Graves Sets the Tone Up Front
Graves proved more than a one-play wonder in 2024. His output showed up in every category that matters. He started all 13 games in 2024 and posted 33 tackles, eight for loss, six sacks, and three forced fumbles, leading the Big Ten in strips.
That profile landed him on the 2025 Bednarik Award watch list and the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list, a rare duo for interior defenders.
Advanced grading backed the tape. He logged a 79.4 overall defensive grade with a 79.9 pass-rush mark per PFF’s conference breakdown, and he added 23 pressures, which matches what you saw on third down. Those are the traits Iowa will build around on early downs and in obvious pass situations.
With a leader like this, expectations are rising. Analysts reviewing preseason projections and Iowa Hawkeyes odds often cite Graves as the key to Iowa’s defensive reputation. If you’re mapping impact snaps for 2025, start with how often Iowa can get offenses behind the sticks with Graves winning the A-gap on first down. The honors and the production say that’s on the table again.
Ethan Hurkett’s Leap on the Edge
Every great interior needs a game-finishing partner on the outside. Hurkett filled that role in 2024. He appeared in all 13 games and totaled 56 tackles (32 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles, tying for the Big Ten lead in forced fumbles.
That kind of edge production keeps offenses guessing. It lets Iowa rush four with discipline and disrupt timing without leaning on gimmicks. His consistent presence in both base and sub-package looks gives the staff flexibility when opposing teams try tempo or perimeter screening. Expect Iowa to pair Hurkett with interior work from Graves to create one-on-one matchups off the right tackle. That’s where real disruption comes.
Xavier Nwankpa’s Range Alters the Math
The former five-star steps into a critical year, and Iowa’s staff signaled that by sliding him to his natural free safety role. He made 29 solo tackles in 2024. He now enters 2025 with 95 career stops and two picks. The bigger story is how his role shifts to more center-field snaps, robber looks, and cleaner quarter coverage.
He’s also on the preseason All-Big Ten radar, which matches the expectation that he stabilizes a secondary that replaced multiple starters last fall. If Nwankpa lands the takeaways Iowa missed in a few key games, the defense’s points-allowed floor stays elite.
What Changes with Mark Gronowski at QB
Quarterback was the offseason swing. Iowa landed a decorated winner in Mark Gronowski, who committed in January after tying the FCS record with 49 wins and winning two national titles. He’s a dual-threat with over 10,300 passing yards and 93 passing touchdowns, plus 1,767 rushing yards and 37 rushing touchdowns at South Dakota State. That resume earned him a spot on the 2025 Maxwell Award watch list.
Iowa’s passing game averaged just over 130 yards per game in 2024. Adding Gronowski’s threat on the ground should help free up more space in key moments. Even if the aerial numbers stay moderate, his ability to run adds a dimension that opens up play-action and helps the line cash in.
The Support Cast That Makes It Work
Logan Jones anchors the line. He’s a three-year starter with more than 30 career starts. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and made both the Rimington and Outland Trophy watch lists for 2025.
Jaziun Patterson gives Gronowski a reliable north-south runner. He carried the ball 63 times for 309 yards in 2024, averaging 4.9 yards per rush. Now with Kaleb Johnson gone, Patterson’s role grows into a workload mix that fuels Iowa’s zone-based approach.
Kaden Wetjen flips the field every week. He won the 2024 Jet Award as the nation’s top returner. He led the FBS in kickoff return yards (727), was second in punt return yards (328), and scored two return touchdowns, including a program-record 100-yard return in the Music City Bowl. That kind of production on special teams turns field position into a season-long advantage.
Iowa’s Winning Formula
Iowa’s roster is built on layers that fit together. A disruptive interior, a proven edge, and range in the secondary all sync with a veteran center, a steady back, and a return man who flips fields. Put together, the plan is hard to crack. The 2025 Hawkeyes have more than enough pieces to stay relevant well past the opening month.