Overlooked Iowa Star Predicted to Land With Top NFL Team

This overlooked Iowa Hawkeyes star is being predicted to land with a top team in the NFL Draft.

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team defensive lineman Yahya Black of Iowa (74) works through drills during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a couple of very notable players heading into the NFL Draft in running back Kaleb Johnson and linebacker Jay Higgins.

Some feel that Johnson may even fly off the board in the first round this April, and Higgins is regarded as a Day 2 pick by many.

However, those aren't the only two Iowa players making the jump to the pros this offseason, as defensive lineman Yahya Black is also taking his game to the NFL level.

Or at least he's trying to.

Black is not a popular name in mock drafts, and you'll notice his name absent altogether from a good number of seven-round mocks.

However, Joe DeLeone of Pro Football Network recently posted the site's most recent edition of its seven-round mock draft, and DeLeone had Black going to the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round.

The Packers could certainly use some more help in the trenches, especially with star defensive tackle Kenny Clark having a rough year in 2024.

Black is definitely not flashy, but he is a solid space-eating lineman who registered 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack during his final collegiate campaign at Iowa.

The Hawkeyes have long been known for having stout defenses, and Black was a big reason for that throughout his five-year stay at Iowa City.

Black's best season came in 2023, when he racked up 51 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five passes defended.

He might never be a legitimate star on the NFL level, but he could ultimately develop into a very solid rotational piece up front.

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