Hawkeyes Pass Rusher Gaining Serious NFL Draft Buzz With Potential Breakout Season

Iowa's defense has a breakout star in the making who could rocket up draft boards.

Sep 14, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Max Llewellyn (48) reacts after a sack during the third quarter against the Troy Trojans at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Plenty of attention on the 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes roster is paid toward the offense this season, but Phil Parker’s defense is always the star of the show. His squad lost even more NFL talent last season, but just as was the case last year, Parker has some exciting new pieces to work with this season.

One name getting plenty of traction heading into the new campaign is edge Max Llewellyn, who takes over as a full-time starter for his final season of college ball. In the past two years as a rotational player, Llewellyn racked up 8 total sacks, which has afforded him some attention among NFL scouts.

NFL Draft Buzz Builds Around Iowa Pass Rusher

The 6-foot-5, 258 lbs. pass rusher has a real shot at becoming a prominent name in a stacked edge rusher class for the 2026 NFL Draft. Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson recently mentioned Llewellyn as a breakout candidate to watch in the class, noting his promising toolset for getting after opposing quarterbacks.

“His motor doesn't stop. If his first move is stymied, there is another on the way,” Parson wrote. “He goes from rotating in to playing heavier snap counts for a full season. This can result in more sack/pressure production, as well as the opportunity to display his run defense.”

Parson also noted that Llewellyn and the Hawkeyes face top-tier competition with Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, and USC on the schedule, giving him plenty of opportunity to steal the show as scouts review the tape.

Llewellyn has garnered some buzz after being mentioned as the No. 9 senior on The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s edge rusher rankings in the class and as the third-highest graded edge defender according to Pro Football Focus. Being highlighted in both areas certainly sets high expectations for Llewellyn to live up to.

As for his scouting report, there’s no denying that Llewellyn has the size and pass-rushing ability to climb draft boards with a productive season. One thing scouts will want to see now that he is a full-time starter is how he performs against the run. In three seasons, the Urbandale, Iowa, native has 38 tackles with 12 coming for a loss.

Overall, Llewellyn has room to move up the boards. A solid season would likely keep him as a mid-round pick with some upside, but a breakout season with 10+ sacks could shoot him into the conversation as a top-100 pick.