Aaron Graves Keeping Freshman Season in Perspective

Highly-Regarded D-Lineman Joining Veteran Group Up Front

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Aaron Graves doesn’t have any expectations on playing time in his first season on Iowa’s defensive line.

But the way he has been playing in practice has convinced his coaches that it wouldn’t be right to not give him some time this season.

Graves is just a freshman in a position room full of veterans, and he’s enjoying the chance to learn from them. Where he fits, though, he’s not sure.

“On special teams, I’ll try to contribute as much as I can,” Graves said at last Friday’s media day. “But the guys we have now, they’re experienced veterans who have been here four or five years. I’m not expecting to play at all. But if I get a rotation spot, that’s awesome. Right now, with this group, I’m learning to look up to them, learn as much as I can.”

A day later, after Graves had an impressive showing in Iowa’s Kids’ Day open practice at Kinnick Stadium, coach Kirk Ferentz knows he has a talent that could be used this season.

“Just the way he’s practicing, it would be crazy to say we’re going to redshirt him,” Ferentz said. “That would be stupid on our part right now. At some point we may say it. He’s got a lot to learn. But boy, his tempo … he belongs on the field with the older guys. He goes hard, which makes us have better practices.”

Graves was an Iowa elite all-state selection in his final two years at Southeast Valley High School. He was the MaxPreps Male National Athlete of the Year in 2021-22, and was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

But he knows he can’t just step into a big role with the Hawkeyes.

“We’re really deep right now,” Graves said of the defensive line group. “There’s a lot of experience there, and that’s something I want to learn from. These are guys that have played in Big Ten games. And I haven’t, obviously. They have a lot of experience compared to me.”

Especially when it comes to the playbook. Graves laughed when he was asked what he thought the first time he saw it.

“I was like, ‘Holy crap, how am I going to learn this?’” he said. “But over the summer, we had a meeting about every day. It was a long process, but I’m starting to get it down now. There’s a lot to learn, obviously, but I’m starting to understand that.

And with the experience surrounding him, Graves knew where to go to get lessons.

“They all know the playbook like the back of their hand,” he said. “So if you have any question, there’s like five or six guys you can turn to and ask, and they’ll know right away. That’s been really helpful for me in learning the whole system, the standard we have here at Iowa on defense, and on the defensive line. They set a really high standard for themselves in our group, and that’s something I want to carry through my career.”

Graves said the biggest adjustment has been to the tempo of the game, and of practices. He has worked mostly at defensive tackle, but he has learned the end positions in case he does become part of the line rotation.

There is that learning curve that comes with being a freshman and Graves, who already has his associate degree from Iowa Central Community College that he got in his senior year in high school, understands that.

But his coaches have seen what he’s already learned.

“He’s obviously someone who’s very talented,” defensive coordinator Phil Parker said. “He’s still learning. But can he help us? Yeah. I’m very pleased with his progress and maturity. A very positive kid.”