Howe: 10 Most Indispensable Hawkeyes for '22

Players Iowa Needs to Come Through This Season

IOWA CITY, Iowa - I cringe a little bit each year when I write this piece. Maybe I'm becoming soft in my old age. 

What's to come is a Top 10 list of the most indispensable Iowa Football players for the upcoming season. In other words, it's a ranking of guys it can least afford to lose. 

It's not meant to disrespect any of the Hawkeyes. I have the utmost respect for how hard they all work year round. It's meant to highlight the standouts and their perceived value to the squad. 

The formula is unscientific. For me, it's a combination of a player's talent and how big the drop-off there would be if he were lost. And all of it is opinion. 

So, with that said, let's roll: 

10. Connor Colby, SO, OL

Reason He's Here: Thrown into the fire as a true freshman last season, Colby more than held his own and showed signs of serious upside. The Cedar Rapids native could end up at tackle at some point and has already shown he can play guard. That versatility is valuable.  

9. Terry Roberts, SR, CB

Reason He's Here: The senior from Pennsylvania provides value on defense and special teams. When you add in his leadership, Roberts brings juice that's tough to replace on multiple levels.  

8. Jestin Jacobs, JR, LEO

Reason He's Here: The first of three linebackers on the list, Jacobs could end up being Iowa's biggest breakout of '22. He plays an under-appreciated position because it doesn't produce big statistics. His ability in coverage could allow the Hawkeyes to play more 4-3 this season than the past few years. 

7. Seth Benson, SR, WLB

Reason He's Here: A two-star recruit from Sioux Falls, Benson has emerged as a reliable playmaker for one of the nation's top defenses. He's well-rounded as a guy who can cover and stop the run. He understands the defense inside and out. 

6. Mason Richman, SO, LT

Reason He's Here: The Kansas native taking over as the starting left tackle as a redshirt freshman tells you about the confidence in him and his ceiling. He experienced more ups than downs in '21. He could be in line for a breakout this fall and become the next all-Big Ten lineman at a school that produces them regularly. 

5. Kaevon Merriweather, SR, S

Reason He's Here: It's a combination of veteran leadership and talent in a secondary replacing three starters (if you include CASH position). Merriweather is poised for a super season season after improving each year on campus. His hard hits set a tone for a defense. 

4. Riley Moss, SR, CB

Reason He's Here: An argument could be made that the reigning Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year should be ranked higher. It speaks more to my confidence in the depth at the position that he's here. Moss has been ultra-focused this offseason and that could be bad news for opponents. 

3. Tory Taylor, JR, P

Reason He's Here: Only at Iowa would the punter rank this high. In all seriousness, the Aussie is vital to Iowa's complementary football philosophy. He's as big of a reason as any that the Hawkeyes won the West last season despite fielding an offense that struggled with consistency. 

2. Sam LaPorta, SR, TE

Reason He's Here: The Illinois product is the best player of the offense. I think he's been under-appreciated outside of Iowa City during his career. Maybe it's because he followed generational talents in T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. More recognition should come this fall. 

1. Jack Campbell, SR, MLB

Reason He's Here: The Cedar Falls native is the best player on the team. His ability to run sideline to sideline at his size is rare and impressive. It might be hard believing he can improve on a junior campaign that saw him rank ninth nationally with 10.2 tackles per game, but I think he will.