Iowa Football Stock Watch: 3 Hawkeyes With the Most to Gain in Week 1

It's the first chance for the Iowa Hawkeyes to finally unveil the 2026 team and give us a feel for what things could look like.

This offseason has been curious for Iowa, if I were to use a word. There is a palpable buzz around this team, but it doesn't fully mask the underlying layer of anxiousness about blending all the new faces.

Iowa's Week 1 game against Northern Illinois is the first proving ground for this team, and three Hawkeyes have a chance to gain more than most with a strong performance.

Reece Vander Zee, WR

A lot of the buzz around Iowa's passing game has been about transfer portal addition Tony Diaz. It's not that it's unfair; he brings an explosive element to Iowa's offense that has been lacking.

That doesn't discount Reece Vander Zee, though; he is entering 2026 healthy after some injuries plagued him in 2026.

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Vander Zee is a huge target for Iowa in the passing game with a great ability to make contested catches against undersized defensive backs.

I expect Iowa to be in the red zone quite a bit Saturday, with the run game getting them there, but the Hawkeyes have to replace Mark Gronowski's red zone success. Reece Vander Zee being a go-to, big-bodied target on Saturday could be a huge step in the right direction.

Iose Epenesa, DL

It's no secret that the Hawkeyes need someone to step up on the defensive line. This is where the former five-star recruit could enter the picture for Iowa in a game where they need a pass rush to impact Northern Illinois' quarterback, Taron Dickens.

Iowa has a secondary with new faces in new places, and the best way to make life easier on them is with a pass rush, limiting how long they have to hold up in coverage.

Iose Epenesa is expected to be a mainstay on the defensive line and could be called upon more in this game as Iowa works through depth questions.

Kenneth Merrieweather, his defensive end counterpart, has started working back from injury, but just how many snaps he sees and how game-ready he is could put the emphasis on Epenesa to step up.

Jayden Montgomery, LB

Iowa is on a run of elite linebacker play in the 2020s. From Jack Campbell to Jay Higgins, the middle of this defense has been great. In steps Jayden Montgomery, with his chance to lead Iowa's defense.

Montgomery isn't inexperienced. He totaled 44 tackles in 2025, but will see an expanded role in 2026 as one of the Hawkeyes' starting linebackers.

Iowa's defensive line may not be fully rounded into shape yet, which could see Phil Parker simply having them own their gaps and responsibilities, opening the door for Montgomery and Iowa's other linebackers to clean up the mess in the run game.

A lot is going to be put on Jayden Montgomery to lead this defense, but that hasn't been an issue for Phil Parker's defense before.

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