Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa TE Named to AP All-Bowl Team

This Iowa Hawkeyes tight end was honored after a stellar performance in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end DJ Vonnahme (81) receives a pass for a touchdown defended by Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Bryce Cowan (22) in the third quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end DJ Vonnahme (81) receives a pass for a touchdown defended by Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Bryce Cowan (22) in the third quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

Once again, the Iowa Hawkeyes have struck gold on a tight end. As long as DJ Vonnahme stays around, tight end university is alive and well in Iowa City.

The 6'4'' 240-pound TE is just a freshman which makes this honor even more incredible. As part of Iowa's 34-27 win over Vanderbilt, their first ranked win since 2021, Vonnahme was named to the AP All-Bowl Team.

Vonnahme wouldn't have been in that position without fifth-year senior quarterback Mark Gronowski. There's quite a sizeable age gap between the two, but that didn't affect their chemistry on the field.

The freshman finished his debut season with 29 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns. That total led all receivers, by far. The next closest was senior wideout Jacob Gill with his 278 yards.

DJ Vonnahme Honored After Stellar Bowl Performance

Vonnahme led the way with a team high 29 receptions this season. He added seven in Tampa for a total of 146 receiving yards with a touchdown. The Commodores defense was far from stellar as they allowed a 51-yard reception to the tight end which was Iowa's longest of the day, by far.

If it weren't for Vonnahme, who knows how that game would've ended up. Anytime Gronowski needed a safety net, Vonnahme was always there. His performance more than justified his spot in the AP All-Bowl team, and that's something the Hawkeyes will look to keep up for years to come.

It was by far the biggest game of the freshman's career and it wasn't particularly close. Even though not a single Hawkeye opted out, it was the freshman who left a lasting impression and proved just how much there is to look forward to with this offense.

Vonnahme's Monstrous Freshman Season

Iowa's offense got off to a notoriously slow start on offense this season. In the team's first four games, Vonnahme had just three receptions for 35 yards.

While he had four receptions against No. 11 Indiana, those went for just 16 yards. Prior to the No. 9 Oregon game on November 8, he never had more than 21 yards in a game.

Vonnahme picked up the pace after receiving his first career touchdown against the Ducks. In his final five games of the year, he had 19 receptions for 370 yards with all three of his touchdowns. Slow start aside, Iowa couldn't have asked for a better way for the freshman to contribute to this offense.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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