Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

Matt Lorbeck has found a new football home. After playing his first three collegiate seasons at Northern Illinois University, the former Bay Port star announced Monday that he is transferring to the University of Iowa. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end entered the NCAA transfer portal May 18, and the Hawkeyes were on his list from the beginning. Lorbeck likes that Iowa is in the Midwest and that he gets the opportunity to play for a Power 5 school. His older brother, Zach, recently completed a standout track and field career at the University of Wisconsin. He will see some familiar faces when he arrives in August.

Lorbeck has a good relationship with Iowa assistant Tim Polasek, who recruited him when he was coaching at North Dakota State University. He will be joined by former NIU teammate Jack Heflin, who also transferred to Iowa this offseason. A former high school teammate, Jack Plumb, is entering his sophomore year as an offensive lineman with the Hawkeyes. Lorbeck will graduate this summer and is eligible to play immediately in 2020, but he plans to redshirt to prepare for a senior season he hopes will help propel him to an NFL future. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#105 DE) rSr/2022

DE Matt Lorbeck, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

06/15/20 - Mike Daniels, rSr/2012, Iowa, 6-0, 291 (DS#15 DT) + More +

Chris Doyle's tenure with the Iowa football team ended after 21 years Monday, when he agreed to step aside after widespread accusations that the longtime strength coach used his position to bully and disparage former players, particularly those who are Black. The university reached a separation agreement with Doyle, the school announced in a press release. Per the agreement, Doyle's buyout will include two payments of $556,249.50 - one on Aug. 1, the other on Jan. 1, 2021 - for a total of $1,112,499.

Iowa athletics director Gary Barta, appearing at a news conference and making his first remarks since the former players made their accusations on social media, said that the separation was finalized on Sunday. "This was not a decision I made lightly," Barta said. "It is just one piece of a plan that is going to be needed for us to move forward." Additionally, the university announced that it has hired Kansas City law firm Husch Blackwell to review the allegations of racial bias within the football program. Barta said he expects the review "will take weeks, not months." - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#15 DT) rSr/2012

DT Mike Daniels, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

06/13/20 - Jack Koerner, Sr/2022, Iowa, 6-0, 209 (DS#17 SS) + More +

Iowa safety Jack Koerner was one of five individuals involved in a boating accident Friday night on the Lake of the Ozarks, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report. The report listed Koerner as being in serious condition, although Iowa spokesperson Steve Roe confirmed Koerner's injuries and non-life-threatening. Koerner and another man were on a 2015 Sea-Doo, a popular kind of jet ski, when it collided with the starboard side of a 1995 Envision boat, according to the report. The reported collision occurred just before 7 p.m. Friday.

Koerner was transported by EMS to Lake Regional Medical Center, while the other man was airlifted to the University of Missouri hospital, the report said. The three passengers on-board the Envision were not injured, according to the report. Koerner, who originally walked on to the Iowa program from Dowling Catholic, became the Hawkeyes' starting free safety last season. He started 11 games there, recording 81 tackles, five pass breakups and one interception. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#17 SS) Sr/2022

SS Jack Koerner, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

06/07/20 - *James Daniels, Jr/2018, Iowa, 6-3, 306 (DS#1 C) + More +

Several claims came to light Saturday accusing the Iowa football program of unfairly treating black student-athletes. After a string of Iowa football players took to Twitter with anecdotes criticizing the program's culture, the team took action. Iowa announced it placed strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle on administrative leave pending an independent investigation. Many of the instances detailed on social media centered around Doyle, according to a CBS Sports report. Former Hawkeye and current Chicago Bear James Daniels, drafted in 2018, said in a tweet: "There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program," Daniels wrote. "Black players have been treated unfairly for far too long." Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz said he was "saddened" to hear the comments, and called it a "defining moment" for the program. - Lincoln Journal Star

(DS#1 C) Jr/2018

C *James Daniels, Iowa
News Source: Lincoln Journal Star
Share/Comment: Here

05/21/20 - *Tyler Goodson, Jr/2022, Iowa, 5-09, 202 (DS#25 RB) + More +

Earlier this week, Samson Evans became the third scholarship running back in the last nine months to voluntarily leave the Iowa football program. The decision, though, should be viewed as a sign of the top-end strength in Derrick Foster's room - not any dysfunction within it. While Foster correctly acknowledges the Hawkeyes' run-game production fell short of internal expectations in 2019 (90th in FBS at 3.95 yards per carry), there's no doubt the room is in its best shape in three seasons, buoyed by the emergence of Tyler Goodson.

And Hawkeye fans should be comforted to hear that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Goodson has been bulking up in suburban Atlanta while working out with a personal trainer and Mercer-bound younger brother Taylor. Foster, in an interview with the Register for Wednesday's Hawk Central radio show on KXnO in Des Moines, reported that Goodson's body weight is in the "198 to 200 pounds" range on his 5-foot-10 frame. He was between 190 and 195 last season as a true freshman. It's an incremental gain designed to improve Goodson's durability. "We felt like he had that frame to be able to do that and not lose any step, any speed," Foster said. "He's still got great quickness and great feet." - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#25 RB) Jr/2022

RB *Tyler Goodson, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

05/21/20 - Jack Heflin, rSr/2021, Iowa, 6-3, 304 (DS#31 DT) + More +

Jack Heflin, a small-town Illinois product who played the past three seasons at Northern Illinois, announced he would play his final season at Iowa via Twitter on Thursday. He will be eligible to play immediately. Originally a two-star recruit out of Prophetstown, Illinois, a city with a population of just over 2,000 in the middle of the state, Heflin was a versatile defensive lineman in high school but he found his home at tackle with NIU. He redshirted his first year and logged eight tackles in eight games games as a redshirt freshman. As a redshirt sophomore, Heflin played in all 13 games and had 33 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six sacks. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#31 DT) rSr/2021

DT Jack Heflin, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

05/20/20 - Matt Lorbeck, rSr/2022, Iowa, 6-3, 255 (DS#105 DE) + More +

Matt Lorbeck became the latest NIU player to transfer on Monday, announcing his intentions via Twitter. The senior defensive end played in 38 games over three years, with 34 tackles and two sacks last season. He also forced three fumbles last year. "Thank you for everything over these past 3 years," Lorbeck said in a statement addressed to Huskie Nation. "I will be forever grateful for all the people that I have crossed paths with over my three years at Northern Illinois. Thank you to all the coaches I've had a chance to work with, as well as training staff, equipment staff, and administrative staff." Lorbeck is the fourth transfer in the last two weeks to announce they're leaving NIU, and the second starter from the defensive line along with Jack Heflin. - DeKalb Daily Chronicle

(DS#105 DE) rSr/2022

DE Matt Lorbeck, Iowa
News Source: DeKalb Daily Chronicle
Share/Comment: Here

05/13/20 - Jack Heflin, rSr/2021, Iowa, 6-3, 304 (DS#31 DT) + More +

NIU announced on Monday that seniors Jack Heflin, Mitchell Brinkman and Christopher Perez Jr. entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal as graduate transfers. "With the current rules in place in regard to transfers and graduate transfers, we acknowledge it, we respect it and we have a plan moving forward of how we are going to best manage the evolving changes in college football," head coach Thomas Hammock said in a statement. "First and foremost, our goal at NIU is to graduate student-athletes and we're proud of the 15 Huskie football players who earned their degrees this past Saturday. We appreciate everyone that comes through the program and achieves that goal," Hammock said. "We're excited about the student-athletes we have returning and can't wait until we can come back together as a team and continue this journey." - DeKalb Daily Chronicle

(DS#31 DT) rSr/2021

DT Jack Heflin, Iowa
News Source: DeKalb Daily Chronicle
Share/Comment: Here

05/01/20 - Shaun Beyer, rSr/2021, Iowa, 6-5, 250 (DS#21 TE) + More +

The University of Iowa is eyeing a June 1 start for football practices, UI President Bruce Harreld told the Iowa Board of Regents on Thursday. Last month, the university imposed a moratorium on all team activities, including practices, to stem the spread of novel coronavirus. "We're ever so hopeful that this virus will be behind us at that point and we'll be able to get back into what we normally do," Harreld said.

A return to practice would provide a shot of encouragement for Hawkeye fans hoping to see the football season start on time in the fall. The team has already missed spring practice, and Harreld said the players would need "six to eight weeks of good practice" before taking the field for a game. "I'm sure our coaches would love a lot more time so they can make them winners, but the key issue here is safety," he said. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#21 TE) rSr/2021

TE Shaun Beyer, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

04/25/20 - Michael Ojemudia, rSr/2020, Iowa, 6-1, 200 (DS#17 CB) + More +

Michael Ojemudia turned consistent improvement at Iowa and a fantastic performance at the NFL Scouting Combine into becoming a third-round pick in the NFL Draft. The cornerback was selected No. 77 overall by the Denver Broncos, a third-round pick. He joins former Hawkeye teammates Josey Jewell, the all-American linebacker who was a fourth-round pick for Denver in 2018, and Noah Fant, a first-round tight end in 2019. The Farmington Hills, Michigan, native was a second-team all-Big Ten Conference pick last season and was the Broncos' first defensive selection of the draft. Ojemudia (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) was inconsistent during his Iowa career and got benched on more than one occasion. But he was a strong tackler with good length and ball skills and became a stabilizing force for the nation's fifth-ranked scoring defense as a fifth-year senior. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#17 CB) rSr/2020

CB Michael Ojemudia, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

04/24/20 - *Tristan Wirfs, Jr/2020, Iowa, 6-5, 320 (DS#1 OT) + More +

From his home in Mount Vernon, Iowa offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs speaks to Buccaneers reporters after he was taken No. 13 overall in the draft. Hawk Central When Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht saw one of the most athletic offensive tackles to ever enter the NFL Draft available at No. 13, he couldn't pass up a chance to wait until No. 14. Licht, who once worked with Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz while they were on staff with the New England Patriots from 2009 to 2011, traded up one spot Thursday night to land Hawkeyes right tackle Tristan Wirfs.

"He can run, which is a great asset for an offensive tackle to have, but it's not the No. 1 thing," Licht said, a nod to the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Wirfs' blazing 4.85-second run in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. "We like the fact that he comes out of a program where they're known for developing offensive linemen. Kirk Ferentz and … the entire staff there are very good coaches, so it's a big plus when you can get a guy out of a great program like that. They know how to work." And with that selection, Wirfs became one of the stars of the NFL Draft's virtual night. He earlier was part of a viral video that showed the giant 21-year-old holding flowers and waiting at the end of a red carpet that was rolled out in the front yard of his Mount Vernon, Iowa, home. Wirfs hugged his mom, Sarah, who raised him and his younger sister. A few hours later, the phone call came from the Bucs, letting him know that they were trading up to get him. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#1 OT) Jr/2020

OT *Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

04/23/20 - *Tristan Wirfs, Jr/2020, Iowa, 6-5, 320 (DS#1 OT) + More +

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded up one spot in the 2020 NFL Draft to select offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs out of Iowa with their first pick. General Manager Jason Licht traded up in the first round for the first time in his Buccaneer tenure, striking a deal with John Lynch and the San Francisco 49ers to move up to No. 13 and select Wirfs. As part of the deal, the Buccaneers are sending their fourth-round pick to the Niners and are also receiving another seventh-round pick. Wirfs will presumably help fill a hole at right tackle. It leaves the Buccaneers with a six more picks, though none in the fourth round and two in the seventh. - Buccaneers.com

(DS#1 OT) Jr/2020

OT *Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
News Source: Buccaneers.com
Share/Comment: Here

04/20/20 - Kristian Welch, Sr/2020, Iowa, 6-3, 239 (DS#29 ILB) + More +

You could argue the NFL benefited from good fortune, as did many prospects who were invited to Indianapolis. But for so many others, the timing was disastrous. NFL-hopeful players who were not invited to the Combine have historically relied on their college's pro day to get noticed. That's the big day each one of these guys banks on; the few hours to get an audience of in-person NFL scouts and show what they can do. But as pro days across the country were canceled, a large swath of prospects felt left behind. Iowa linebacker Kristian Welch is one of those prospects.

"Not being able to get in front of coaches and scouts so they can see me do position work and other drills hurts their potential outlook on me," Welch said. "I am in the best shape of my life, and I think that would have truly showed at pro day." Imagine building toward a single day with more than a decade of tireless work … and then having it disappear from the calendar. That's what Welch grappled with when the heard the news while roaming the woods in search of shed deer antlers (a spring activity he enjoys). "I was extremely upset and just took a while to reflect," Welch said. "I am not one to feel sorry for myself, so I picked myself up and told myself to stay positive. "We always talk about in football, 'control what you can control.' And that's what I am trying to do during these trying times." - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#29 ILB) Sr/2020

ILB Kristian Welch, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

04/17/20 - *A.J. Epenesa, Jr/2020, Iowa, 6-5, 275 (DS#3 DE) + More +

Family has always been at the heart of A.J. Epenesa's life story. One of the most dominant pass rushers to ever wear an Iowa football uniform comes from humble roots. His father, the youngest of seven children, moved to the U.S. from a poor family in American Samoa, dreaming of something bigger for his future sons and daughters. Now that long-awaited moment is here. Even if it isn't exactly how the Epenesas envisioned it. The global COVID-19 pandemic has turned the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday, into a coordinated event of video streams. America's top football prospects will be at home, rather than under the fountains of the famed Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas as originally planned. "My brothers and sisters have never seen anything like this," says Eppy Epenesa, A.J.'s well-known father to Hawkeye fans as a former Iowa defensive lineman in the 1990s under Hayden Fry. "So, I was planning to get (them) together."

He had pledged to fly two sisters to Vegas from "the island," as he calls it, of American Samoa (a small U.S. territory in the South Pacific Ocean). Two living brothers (Eppy's oldest brother is deceased) and a sister live in California; they were planning to venture to Vegas, too, for an unforgettable family celebration. While different, the upcoming party will be packed with meaning and joy. A.J. Epenesa is expected to be a first- or second-round pick and could command a rookie contract worth eight figures. Instead of taking a short Bellagio boat ride to shake hands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Epenesa will be seen by America from his parents' living room in Glen Carbon, Illinois. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#3 DE) Jr/2020

DE *A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

03/30/20 - *A.J. Epenesa, Jr/2020, Iowa, 6-5, 275 (DS#3 DE) + More +

Epenesa was a productive player by relying on size, technique, motor and nuance over high-end athletic ability at Iowa. And at 6 feet 5 inches and 275 pounds, he more than passes the eyeball test. Combine that with his 30.5 sacks in 26 games in his final two seasons, and it explains why some considered him a potential top 10 pick. On film, at least, he is worthy of being slotted in that draft area. Given the importance of his position and the need to create pass rush off the edge, someone might put more weight on production and talent than physical test scores and take him in that range. But teams better be sure he can overcome what appears to be less-than-desirable athletic ability to become a productive NFL player.

Sensing the concern about his lack of athletic ability, Epenesa tried to put teams at ease. "I think there's some out there trying to say that I might be slow or not explosive, and I just want to show that I'm not slow and not not explosive," he said. "… I want to prove people who doubt me wrong." Unfortunately for him, his 5.04 40 time at the combine - one of the worst at his position - didn't help his cause. He was not much better in the three-cone drill or broad jump, both of which were on the lower end among defensive ends. If teams view Epenesa as strictly a defensive end, those physical numbers make it hard to justify picking him in the upper half of the first round. - Las Vegas Review-Journal

(DS#3 DE) Jr/2020

DE *A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
News Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Iowa Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2025 CFB/2025-2029 NFL Draft Scout

2024 CFB/2024-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Iowa Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development