NFL roster cut day is one of the more emotional days on the football calendar for many players.
They either find out that they did enough to make the main roster out of camp, which is an incredible accomplishment. Or they found out they were being cut, leaving themselves with way more questions than answers about their football future. Regardless of the outcome, emotions are high following the roster trim to 53 players.
Iowa football has put a ton of players into the NFL recently, and a lot of them have stuck on main rosters, a testament to the developmental program Kirk Ferentz has established. Players leave Iowa with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the NFL at a high level. But just how many former Hawkeyes found their way onto a 53-man roster in 2025?
Scott Dochterman, who covers college football for The Athletic, has been keeping tabs on every former Hawk who made a 53-man roster using a spreadsheet. He posts daily updates to X when a player is signed or released by a team. And according to Dochterman, Iowa has 29 former players currently on NFL 53-man rosters.
Some names, like George Kittle and Cooper DeJean, were never in doubt of being cut. They’re established NFL stars and a great look for the Hawkeye program. But other names, like Jay Higgins and Yahya Black, faced big obstacles in pursuit of a main roster spot and were able to overcome them, earning a spot in the league.
From established stars to talented youngsters, the Iowa football program has put a lot of quality players and humans into the NFL over the years. There’s a reason teams flock to former Hawkeyes when they hit free agency or go undrafted. Kirk Ferentz’s developmental program receives criticism from fans a lot of the time, but there’s no doubt it works. And by the looks of the 2025 roster, Iowa’s not done putting players into the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Which former Iowa football players made NFL 53-man rosters?
Reporting by Zach Hiney, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
