Iowa Hawkeyes Star May Have to Accept This Brutal Fate

This Iowa Hawkeyes star may have to come to terms with what appears to be a rather brutal fate for himself.

Iowa’s Jay Higgins looks on during the team’s practice at Ensworth School in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. | Nicole Hester / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Hawkeyes star Jay Higgins was one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten this past season. He was so good, as a matter of fact, that he won the Butkus-Fitzgerald award for the conference's best linebacker.

As a result of Higgins' impressive production over the last couple of seasons, many felt that the 22-year-old could potentially sneak into Day 2 of the NFL Draft next month. But suddenly, Higgins' stock has plummeted to the point where he is teetering on being undrafted entirely.

It's certainly a stark change considering where Higgins was a month or so ago, but a subpar showing at the Scouting Combine massively affected Higgins' status, and now, most mock drafts have him going no earlier than the sixth round. Heck, some have him falling to the back end of Round 7.

We have long known the primary issues with Higgins. He doesn't have great size, his lateral movement is suspect and his athleticism leaves much to be desired. As a result, many feel that he could potentially struggle as an every-down player in the NFL, especially in coverage.

But Higgins also possesses a tremendous motor, a great nose for the ball and a very high football IQ that should still make him a sure-fire draft pick in a few weeks.

That being said, the closer we get to the draft, the more the Iowa product may have to accept what appears to be his brutal fate: he almost certainly isn't going to be a Day 2 selection, and he may even have to sweat it out as more and more names get called in the final round.

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