The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of the oldest and most decorated college teams in the US. Founded in 1889, the team currently competes in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. With such a rich history, it’s no surprise that so many great players have made their start here. The NFL is home to the best football players and the world, and many of them played college football at the University of Iowa.
The Iowa Hawkeyes is one of the best college teams in the nation at producing talent of the NFL standard. Every year, they have several athletes successfully transition to the NFL. In many years, former Hawkeyes are some of the best players in their position. If you love watching and betting on the NFL at Betway , you’ll also love this list of the best former Hawkeyes currently in the league.
Micah Hyde
Micah Hyde is a 32-year-old safety who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills. He’s an incredibly versatile player for the Bills and offers a lot on the field, providing a high level of coverage while offering strong tackling and an excellent ability to cause turnovers. While playing at Iowa, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and also made the first team of the All-Big Ten.
After leaving college, Hyde was drafted by the Green Bay Packers, where he stayed until the end of the 2016 season. However, his best work in the NFL has come while playing for the Bills. Hyde has become a mainstay in the team’s defense and made the Pro Bowl in 2017.
Tristan Wirfs
The 23-year-old offensive tackle only recently began his professional career, joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after completing college at Iowa. Despite only being young, Wirfs has already won the Super Bowl and played in all four of the Buccs’ playoff games in their 2020 run after starting all 16 games in his rookie season.
Wirfs is incredibly strong and uses this to his advantage on the field. He broke the Hawkeyes hang clean record at 450lbs, but he doesn’t just rely on his strength. He has great game sense and excellent pass protection. What’s more, he keeps getting better as he matures. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022 and was a first-team All-Pro in 2021.
George Kittle
George Kittle is perhaps the best all-around tight end in the NFL right now. The 29-year-old currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers after joining in the fifth round of the draft in 2017. Since then, he’s played in the Pro Bowl four times and made the All-Pro first team in 2019. Kittle had a relatively quiet college career considering his talent. As a Hawkeye, he was only a starter for two seasons, but his total stats came to 48 receptions for 737 yards and ten touchdowns.
Kittle is renowned for being exceptional in his role, executing perfect catches, and making great runs. Not only that, but he’s also a great blocker, providing lots of benefits to his team. While the 49ers haven’t reached major success in recent seasons, Kittle has still been an important player for them. In 2022, he set a career record of eight touchdowns despite missing the first two weeks due to injury.
Best All-Time Former Hawkeye
While those were some of the best former Hawkeyes currently playing in the NFL, there’s little doubt that the best Hawkeye of all time to play in the NFL was Paul Krause. The safety, who played for the Washington Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings, holds the NFL record for the most career interceptions at 81. He played in the Pro Bowl eight times and was a three-time All-Pro first-team player.
