This Iowa Hawkeye Defender Is Poised for a Breakout Season in 2025

After losing multiple defensive playmakers to graduation and the 2025 NFL Draft, Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz must find a way to replace the production heading into the upcoming season.

Linebacker Jay Higgins, defensive tackle Yahya Black, and safety Sebastian Castro are just a few of the names that won't be in the black and yellow next season. However, one player that will benefit from the departures on defensive is senior EDGE rusher, Max Llewellyn.

In his junior season, Llewellyn had the third-most sacks on defense with 5.5, trailing Ethan Hurkett and Aaron Graves. He also finished with a 90.0 PFF defensive grade, which ranks third amongst returning EDGE rushers.

Highest Graded Returning Edge Rushers in College Football🔥 pic.twitter.com/Txc4BEcmx4
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 25, 2025

What made this even more impressive for Llewellyn was the fact that he played behind senior Deontae Craig and was used as a rotational piece on the defensive line. The Iowa native played 290 snaps in 2024, with 70 percent of the snaps being in pass-rushing situations.

This does not mean that Llewellyn can only be effective in the passing game. In his 79 run defense snaps, he still manage to post a PFF run-defense grade of 72.9, which is adequate for someone who has played limited snaps in that role.

If Llewellyn wants to take the next step as a defensive end, he will have to continue to grow in his production in the trenches. At 6-foot-5, 258 lbs, Llewellyn has the size and the athleticism to be a dominated EDGE for the Hawkeyes in 2025. With Ethan Hurkett on the other side of the line, the duo could form an excellent pass rush next season.

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