More former Iowa college football players have been named to the NFL’s Top 100 players of 2026.
The annual summer list, compiled from votes by the league’s players, provides insight into how individuals are perceived by their peers. For the second straight year, the NFL is unveiling player rankings in short videos on X (formerly Twitter) through Sept. 4, with installments later available on NFL+. The series began on June 22 and runs weekdays through Sept. 4.
The first Iowa college alums to appear on the 2026 list were Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, coming in at No. 88 and No. 85, respectively. Former Hawkeye and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs came in at No. 52.
So who are the latest former Iowa college football players to be named to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026?
‘The best tight end in football’: George Kittle earns another Top 100 nod
For the eighth time in his career, former Iowa tight end and San Francisco 49ers All-Pro George Kittle has been named one of the NFL’s top players by his peers, coming in at No. 46.
Kittle, who turns 33 in October, finished his 2025 season with 58 receptions, 634 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games during the regular season and NFL Playoffs.
“He’s just a freak at all levels — blocking, receiving,” Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz said in the video announcing Kittle’s spot. “When he’s at the top level and he’s healthy, he’s the best in the league.”
The former Hawkeye dealt with a string of lower-body injuries during the 2025 season that left him out of action for more than a month. He tore his Achilles on Jan. 11 in the San Francisco 49ers’ Wild Card win against the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs.
He was placed on the physically unable to perform list ahead of training camp in July, and it remains unknown whether he will be ready for San Francisco’s 2026 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
Here’s where Kittle has ranked on the NFL’s Top 100 list in recent years:
San Francisco left tackle Trent Williams, widely regarded as one of the best offensive linemen of his era, offered high praise for his teammate in Kittle’s episode.
“George is the best tight end in football. There’s no doubt about it,” Williams said. “We are a completely different offense when we got a guy like that at the tight end position.”
Where did Cooper DeJean rank on NFL Top 100 Players of 2026?
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean ranked No. 38 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list, climbing 22 spots after making his debut at No. 60 in 2025.
Building off an impressive rookie season, Odebolt’s Cooper DeJean made the most of the increased snap count in his second year. He recorded 93 total tackles, 16 pass deflections, two interceptions and one forced fumble before making his first All-Pro team in 2025.
He finished the regular season leading all NFL slot cornerbacks in coverage grade, catch rate allowed and passer rating allowed, according to PFF.
Fellow All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua praised DeJean’s versatility, saying he gives the Eagles the ability to use him both near the line of scrimmage in the run game and in coverage on the outside.
“It’s very rare that you get somebody who can do both and play with the physicality that’s needed inside the box, and then have the smarts and the awareness and the ability to transition to play on the outside,” Nacua said.
Two of DeJean’s current and former teammates, Eagles linebacker Zack Baun and Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean, also praised his all-around game. DeJean’s episode showed a clip of Baun calling the 23-year-old “the best tackler in the league” during Philadelphia’s Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2025.
“That’s part of the position I play,” DeJean said. “I’m in the run fits a lot of the time, the screen game, and my position is huge. So being able to break that up, that’s something I pride myself on.”
The Eagles’ 2026 regular season kicks off Sept. 13 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia against the Washington Commanders.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Hawk Central: George Kittle, Cooper DeJean join NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list
Reporting by Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register / Hawk Central
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
