Inside The Hawkeyes

Iowa Kicker Accepts 2026 Panini Senior Bowl Invite

This history-making kicker will be representing the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Sep 13, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) kicks a field goal as punter Ty Nissen (99) holds the ball against the Massachusetts Minutemen during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) kicks a field goal as punter Ty Nissen (99) holds the ball against the Massachusetts Minutemen during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

When it comes to special teams, it's hard to find a team that does it better than the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kicker Drew Stevens found ways to rewrite the history books during his time with the team, and now he's set to be honored at one of the most prestigious games of the year.

The Panini Senior Bowl is "the most prestigious and longest continuously-running college all-star game", according to their social media bio. Stevens made sure he accepted the invite as this could be the extra boost he needs to get to the next level.

Iowa Fans Can Watch Drew Stevens In The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl

As of June 24, the Senior Bowl rebranded with the Panini name. Knowing how big the trading card industry has become, and how much NIL is taking over college athletics, it feels like a match made in heaven. For Stevens, it marks one of the biggest opportunities of his career.

To put into perspective how big of a deal this is, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia accepted his invite the day prior. Iowa will be playing the Commdores in the ReliaQuest Bowl, and Pavia will soon make a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. The Senior Bowl is truly only for the best of the best, and Stevens fits into that category.

Back on December 7, Hawkeyes defensive back T.J. Hall accepted his invite. Stevens will not be alone as the kicker will have at least one teammate on the journey with him. There's still time for more invites to be accepted, so it remains to be seen which, if any Iowa seniors also get invited.

Drew Stevens Historic Career

Earlier this year, Stevens went down in history as he's made the most field goals in Hawkeyes history. Having been with the team since 2022, Stevens has drilled 74 of his 93 attempts for a career 79.6% rate. Most of his misses have come from long range, but this year he tied the longest field goal in program history which came from 58 yards.

Stevens tied his career high with 20 made field goals this season. He finished the year 20/26 which actually produced the second lowest field goal percentage of his career. Nonetheless, he'll look to finish his successful career with the Hawkeyes on New Years Even in Tampa. From there, he'll have a month to prepare for the Panini Senior Bowl which takes place on January 31, 2026.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

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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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