Iowa football well represented in NFL Top 100 players ranking
· Yahoo Sports
The Iowa football program has had a ton of recent success in developing great players for the NFL.
Visit freshyourfeel.com for more information.
The overall number of NFL players that came from Iowa and from Kirk Ferentz's program is substantial, but the number of top-tier players is even more impressive.
This has been evident over the past few weeks with the release of NFL.com's Top 100 players entering the 2026 season. The list is voted on by the players themselves. Every week, 10 more players are revealed as the list climbs to No. 1. With 30 players left to reveal, four former Hawkeyes have already been named top 100 players.
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell was the first one to see his name on the list, coming in at 88th on the ranking. Digital content producer Bobby Kownack explained what stands out about Campbell's game.
"Campbell made his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro team last season, emerging as the heart of the Lions defense. The off-ball linebacker’s 176 tackles ranked second in the league, but he added a little extra to his bag by more than doubling his previous career sack total of 3.5. Campbell was PFF’s top-graded linebacker in run defense (93.0) and second-best LB overall (90.2), plus he was no slouch in coverage, finishing 12th at his position with a grade of 71.4." - NFL.com
The next Hawk to see his name on the list was Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. His fellow players ranked him as the 52nd-best player in the NFL. Digital content editor Jeremy Bergman explained why Wirfs is one of the best linemen in the league.
"In his fifth straight Pro Bowl season, Wirfs bounced back from an early-season knee injury to protect Baker Mayfield's blind side down the stretch. Though Tampa Bay missed the postseason in 2025 for the first time since before Tom Brady joined the team in 2020, Wirfs enjoyed a more positive first during the campaign. The two-time All-Pro caught his very first NFL touchdown pass, a 2-yard haul from Mayfield in the second quarter of a Week 13 win over Arizona." - NFL.com
Up next was San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, who came in at 46th on the list. Despite missing some time with injuries last season. Digital content editor Grant Gordon brought up the reasons why he's still one of the more respected tight ends in the game.
"A torn Achilles limited Kittle to 11 games last season, but what he accomplished in those weeks and his reputation among his peers is enough to keep him inside the top 50 for a remarkable eighth straight year. A Pro Bowler for a fifth year in a row and seventh overall, Kittle’s overall game remains outstanding. He still finished second on the 49ers in receptions and touchdowns catches (tied). He dropped just two passes, per PFF, and garnered an overall 90.8 grade -- first at his position. His receiving grade of 91.2 was also tops at TE and he posted 72.2 grades in run and pass blocking." - NFL.com
The final former Hawk to be revealed so far was Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean. Kownack talked about what sets DeJean apart from most other corners in the league.
"DeJean built on a dream rookie season that included winning a Super Bowl with a pick-six in the big game by going on to make his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro team in 2025. The 23-year-old was a key piece of Philadelphia’s defense, which ranked top five in points allowed for a second straight year. He spent the majority of his time in the slot last season, but he’ll be taking on a new challenge in Year 3, as he’s set to play safety when the Eagles operate in a base defense. There’s little reason to believe he won’t rise to the occasion." - NFL.com
The top 30 will be revealed over the next month, with the No. 1 spot coming out on Sept. 4.
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
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football well represented in NFL Top 100 players ranking