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2022 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch: Indiana vs. Iowa

By Andrew Fischer

Oct 31, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA;Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws the ball during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA;Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws the ball during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
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What 2022 NFL Draft prospects should you keep an eye on when Iowa plays Indiana?

The first weekend of college football features an intriguing matchup between Iowa and Indiana. This is an important game for both teams and should be a measuring stick to see how good they really are. Both squads have multiple NFL prospects that could be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Iowa has high hopes this year as they’re among the favorites to capture the Big Ten West, while Indiana is trying to build off of a 6-2 season that featured road wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State, with their only regular season loss being to Ohio State in Columbus by a touchdown. Though the over/under for points scored in this game sits at a paltry 46.5, this article will feature an elite skill player from each team ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr.

The left-handed Penix is the consensus best returning quarterback in the Big Ten conference. The lasting image for many college football fans last year was Penix fully extending his arm and diving for the pylon to score the game-winning two point conversion against Penn State, and that was just one illustrative example of the dynamic plays that Penix can make.

There’s a lot to like here for Penix as he has elite size (6’3” 218), excellent mobility (4 yards per carry and 4 rushing touchdowns in his career), and makes sound decisions with the ball (career 25-8 touchdown to interception ratio). The Tampa native seems to have that “it” factor when it comes to leading his team, as his career record for the Hoosiers is a terrific 12-3.

The one knock on him (and it’s a legit knock) is his health, as he’s suffered 3 consecutive season-ending injuries, including 2 to his right ACL. If he can stay healthy for a full season and show out in 2021, the redshirt junior should be selected at some point in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Iowa RB Tyler Goodson

This being his junior season, Tyler Goodson is ready to break out. The 5’10” 200-pound back shows good burst getting up through the hole, to go along with an ample amount of elusiveness and speed. In addition to that, he’s shown he can catch the ball out of the backfield, as he’s reeled in 39 passes over his first two seasons. He improved both his yards per carry and total number of rushing touchdowns from his first season to his second.

If that trend holds, and it should, given how good the Hawkeyes’ linemen are going to be, Goodson should comfortably top 1,000 rushing yards. The North Gwinnett High School (Ga.) alumnus demonstrates a unique blend of power at the line of scrimmage and some slippery moves to make defenders miss in the open field. His versatility and robust skill set should lead to him getting picked in the middle rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

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