Iowa Hawkeyes Sleeper Defender Generating Surprising NFL Draft Buzz

This Iowa Hawkeyes defender is drawing some surprising NFL Draft buzz.

Iowa defensive back Sebastian Castro (29) looks to the sideline during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football spring practice, Saturday, April 17, 2021, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 210417 Iowa Practice Fb 093 Jpg | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a handful of players that will likely be selected in the NFL Draft this April, and while running back Kaleb Johnson and linebacker Jay Higgins are the biggest names, another Iowa player is suddenly generating some buzz: safety Sebastian Castro.

Castro just completed his final season at Iowa, finishing with 57 tackles, an interception and a couple of forced fumbles.

While Higgins was definitely the most dominant player on the Hawkeyes' defense in 2024, it's Castro who is actually being projected to go higher in the draft.

Bleacher Report's Cory Giddings is predicting that Castro will fly off the board in the third round of the draft and even compared him to Adrian Amos, who had some terrific years with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers between 2015 anf 2022.

"Sebastian Castro is a tough, run-first safety with versatility who can play multiple spots within Iowa's defense," Giddings wrote. "Primarily functioning in the box and as a nickel defender, Castro brings a high football IQ and physicality to the field. With his hands-on approach, he excels at shedding blocks to get to the ball, making him a valuable asset in run defense."

Castro was definitely an integral piece for Iowa's defense throughout his tenure with the club, although he did not begin earning regular playing time until his third year at Iowa in 2022.

That season, he recorded 33 tackles, a sack, a pair of forced fumbles and five passes defended. Then, the following year, he tallied 67 stops, eight tackles for loss, three picks, eight passes defended and a defensive touchdown in what represented a breakout year for the defensive back.

We'll see where Castro ends up in a few months.