Iowa Center Receives Top 100 NFL Prospect Ranking

The Iowa Hawkeyes, under head coach Kirk Ferentz, are one bowl game away from the end of another favorable year of football. With an 8-4 (6-3) overall record and the sixth placement in the B1G, the black and gold of the gridiron have been among the most consistently good teams in the conference; although, inversely, it could be argued that they've rarely been great.

After skirting College Football Playoff (CFP) hopes this season given a few key losses, Ferentz and his team will face the No. 14 Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest bowl. An exciting and potentially challenging matchup, no doubt, though a mild disappoint given the Hawkeyes' "CFP dark horse" status that at one point defined them.

Even so, a program's impact goes well beyond their immediate collegiate success. Ferentz has developed a track record at Iowa for escorting talent onto the sport's highest level, in the form of the NFL. In spite of Iowa's loss-heavy second half in the 2025-26 season, the roster is still shaping up to yield professional talent.

Doing the Dirty Work

In a recent ranking by Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick, Iowa found expected favor in the site's top 100 2026 NFL Draft Prospects. Amidst a bevy of high-class playmakers, the black and gold, by-the-brand, show up in the dirty work.

𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞.

Logan Jones, YOU are a unanimous All-American.

📍Council Bluffs, IA.#iahsfb 📸: Times Republican pic.twitter.com/xeDA9yujEy
— Bound Iowa (@Bound_IA) December 18, 2025

"Jones, the winner of the Rimington Award given annually to the nation’s top center, has average size at 6' 3" and 302 pounds," remarked Flick. "Still, he’ll thrive in a zone-blocking system, where his twitch and athleticism translate favorably."

Few Better Exist

While Flick's written analysis of the pending Hawkeye great doesn't appear glowing, his placement of the lineman in the upper echelon of this prospect ranking is a clear indicator that few equivalent prospects at Jones' position exist.

Jones, in addition to placing highly on this subjective arrangement of talent, was just named a unanimous All-American after his season with Iowa. He's just the 17th player to do so in the history of Hawkeye football.

Wherever Jones ultimately ends up in the league, both his expected success and present recognition further evidence Iowa's pedigree on the collegiate football level. Even when the team is, overall, struggling to make major competitive waves, the talent that runs through Kinnick Stadium will always be worth a special look.

Jones' presence on the Hawkeyes' offensive line will certainly be missed in the future, although if history is to be believed, he'll be far from the last NFL-level talent to protect an Iowa quarterback.

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