The Hawkeyes have accomplished so much under the direction of longtime Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz.
Iowa has won nearly 200 games with Ferentz at the helm. The Hawkeyes are 196-119 with Ferentz calling the shots. Iowa boasts a 122-85 Big Ten mark under Ferentz’s direction and the Hawkeyes’ 25 conference victories from 2020-23 matches the program’s highest four-year conference win total (1982-85 and 2002-05).
The Hawkeyes have earned 21 bowl invites during the Ferentz era, including 13 January bowl games. Ferentz’s 10 bowl victories tie for first all-time among Big Ten coaches. Iowa also just so happens to be on a stretch of 11 straight bowl invitations from 2013-23, which is the longest bowl streak in school history.
Naturally, a program doesn’t accomplish those feats without a great collection of players over the years. Iowa has certainly enjoyed its fair share of star power and that’s been reflected by a strong showing over the years in the NFL draft.
The Hawkeyes have had 24 first- or second-round selections during Ferentz’s time as head coach and 85 NFL draft selections overall. The Hawkeyes have seen 13 first round selections during Ferentz’s tenure.
As the 2024 NFL draft arrives, here’s a look at all of Iowa’s first-round NFL draft selections during the Ferentz era.
DL Lukas Van Ness – No. 13 overall to the Green Bay Packers, 2023
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The Green Bay Packers selected Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness with the No. 13 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft. Van Ness tallied 37 tackles, five sacks and a pass breakup in his rookie campaign with the Cheeseheads.
LB Jack Campbell – No. 18 overall to the Detroit Lions, 2023
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Drafted 18th overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft, the Butkus Award winner at Iowa has helped engineer one of the NFL’s most impressive turnarounds. Jack Campbell totaled 110 tackles, two sacks and a pass breakup in his rookie season with the Lions.
C Tyler Linderbaum – No. 25 overall to the Baltimore Ravens, 2022
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Linderbaum originally came to Iowa City as a four-star defensive tackle according to 247Sports. You know the story by now. The 6-foot-2, 305 pound native of Solon, Iowa, morphed himself into the nation’s best center and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
OT Tristan Wirfs – No. 13 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2020
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TE T.J. Hockenson – No. 8 overall to Detroit Lions, 2019
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The Detroit Lions drafted T.J. Hockenson No. 8 overall in the 2019 NFL draft. Since being traded to the Minnesota Vikings, Hockenson has emerged as one of the Vikes’ top offensive weapons. Hockenson is coming off an ACL and MCL tear, but he was one of the league’s top tight ends last season. The 6-foot-5 tight end hauled in 95 receptions for 960 yards with five touchdowns.
TE Noah Fant – No. 20 overall to the Denver Broncos, 2019
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The Denver Broncos took tight end Noah Fant with the No. 20 overall selection in the 2019 NFL draft. Fant just signed a multi-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks after registering 32 grabs for 414 yards with the Seahawks in 2023.
OL Brandon Scherff – No. 5 overall to the Washington Commanders, 2015
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The Washington Commanders took offensive lineman Brandon Scherff with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Scherff had 36 career starts at Iowa and started all 26 games at left tackle over his final two seasons with the Hawkeyes.
The eight-year NFL vet just agreed to a restructured deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Riley Reiff – No. 23 overall to the Detroit Lions, 2012
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Riley Reiff landed with the Detroit Lions as the No. 23 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Reiff was a first team All-America selection by Pro Football Weekly during the 2011 season and also earned first team All-Big Ten status from the league’s coaches and media that same year with the Hawkeyes.
DE Adrian Clayborn – No. 20 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2011
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Clayborn finished his Iowa career with 192 total tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. The Hawkeye defensive end had a monster junior season where he registered 20 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
OT Bryan Bulaga – No. 23 overall to the Green Bay Packers, 2010
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The Green Bay Packers chose Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. Bulaga was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year after a standout 2009 season for the Hawkeyes at left tackle.
LB Chad Greenway – No. 17 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, 2006
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Hawkeye linebacker Chad Greenway was taken with the No. 17 overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2006 NFL draft.
OT Robert Gallery – No. 2 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, 2004
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The then-Oakland Raiders drafted Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft.
TE Dallas Clark – No. 24 overall to the Indianapolis Colts, 2003
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Iowa tight end Dallas Clark was taken by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft. Clark was the first to go in the first round of the NFL draft in the Ferentz era. He was one of the longtime mainstays for the Colts throughout the Peyton Manning era. Clark ended his NFL career with 505 receptions for 5,665 receiving yards and 53 touchdown grabs.
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