The Iowa football program has lost a lot of talent from last year’s roster. Despite that, there’s still a lot of preseason excitement about what the Hawkeyes can achieve in 2026.
Iowa had seven players from last season get drafted into the NFL, and another five signed undrafted free-agent contracts. Replacing that much elite talent is a tall task, even for a Hawkeye program that prides itself on developing young talent. Anyone still doubting Kirk Ferentz’s ability to do just that hasn’t watched Iowa over the past two decades.
One major sports media outlet is high on the Hawkeyes potential next season. CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello released his Post-Spring Top 25 rankings and had Iowa at 18th.
Marcello has Iowa as the fifth-highest ranked Big Ten team, signaling his thoughts on their ability to compete in the best football conference in the country. Here’s more of what he had to say about Iowa in 2026.
“I struggled with Iowa, but Kirk Ferentz seemingly always gets the best out of his roster, and the pieces still are capable of a top-20 season. The defensive line loses six players in the rotation, and three offensive linemen are off to the pros. Oh, and the quarterback competition between Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown will continue through August.” -Brandon Marcello, CBS Sports
He voices concerns about the losses in the trenches and the quarterback position, but puts his faith in Ferentz. That’s a common thread amongst Iowa fans as the Summer approaches.
The Hawkeyes will begin their quest to back up Marcello’s words on September 5 when they host Northern Illinois.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football inside CBS post-spring top 25 rankings
Reporting by Zach Hiney, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
