2021 NFL Draft: Iowa Hawkeyes top prospects to watch

Who are the top 2021 NFL Draft prospects for the Iowa Hawkeyes?

The Iowa Hawkeyes are taking on a lot of change for the 2020 season, but there are still plenty of intriguing 2021 NFL Draft prospects to watch as the Big Ten kicks off this coming weekend.

Gone from the 2019 roster are big-time prospects like offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and defensive lineman AJ Epenesa, along with third-round cornerback Michael Ojemudia. Late-round picks like quarterback Nate Stanley and safety Geno Stone were also highly impactful to the Hawkeyes in 2019.

Who are among the next wave of prospects coming up?

The Hawkeyes are breaking in a new quarterback this season in Spencer Petras, a former three-star prospect from the state of California with a live arm and great size. He’s going to be tasked with getting the football to some of the best skill position players the Hawkeyes have had in the past couple of decades.

Defensively, obviously, key players are going to need to be replaced. Do the Hawkeyes have anybody coming up who will be on the NFL radar?

One area of this team that is always in focus for NFL scouts — the offensive line. The Hawkeyes may not have a player of Tristan Wirfs’ caliber this season, but there are still future NFL starters on the offensive line.

Let’s take a look at the top 2021 NFL Draft prospects for the Hawkeyes as they get set for their first action in 2020.