Five Iowa Hawkeyes Selected in the 2025 NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft is officially a wrap like a mummy. It goes as quickly as it comes, leaving generational wealth for many, an opportunity of a lifetime for hundreds, and excitement and hot takes for us.

I adore the local stories that always emerge from the draft each and every year. I also enjoy seeing a new gaggle of Iowa Hawkeyes make the NFL too. To make it easy on my fellow Iowa fans, I compiled a list of every Iowa Hawkeye drafted over the weekend. In total, there were five Hawkeyes and four Iowa State Cyclones that heard their name called over the three days, so regardless of where your affiliation lies, it was a great draft for the state of Iowa.

Kaleb Johnson (RB; Round 3, Pick 83):

This was an exciting albeit seriously painful one because I was really hoping Iowa Hawkeye running back Kaleb Johnson would go to my Chicago Bears. Johnson was ultimately selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the draft. The only reason I didn't include the Steelers in my "three teams" that could potentially select Johnson, it was because I thought he'd be off the board before pick #83.

Johnson joins a Steelers' running back room in need of a bell cow following the departure of Najee Harris in free agency. Johnson could absolutely be the workhorse the Steelers' offense is going to need with quarterback uncertainty. Even if Aaron Rodgers does indeed sign with the Steelers, as is widely predicted, they're going to need a stout running game in order to compete in a brutal, black-and-blue division.

Yahya Black (DT; Round 5, Pick 164):

The Steelers clearly have their eyes on Iowa football, for not only did they select Kaleb Johnson in the third round, they also took the Hawkeyes' stud defensive tackle Yahya Black in the fifth round. At 6'6'' and over 330 pounds, he's just a massive human being with long arms and an ability to mess up a play.

The Steelers are known for their stout defenses, under the tutelage of head coach Mike Tomlin, so this is a predictable pick to a degree. I can lament that the Steelers are inept when it comes to offense, and truly didn't need a lot more depth on their defense, but if any team is going to get the best out of Black, it's going to be Pittsburgh.

Mason Richman (OT; Round 7, Pick 234):

With the 234th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected Mason Richman, offensive tackle, from Iowa. And they could use all the offensive line help they can get!

In Richman, Seattle gets a seasoned veteran for their offensive line, who played for Iowa for five seasons. And he's still somehow only 22-years-old! His 52 career starts are the most among linemen in the Kirk Ferentz era, which is a statement in itself. Iowa had a top 25 rushing attack in the country, and Richman was a big reason why.

Again, Seattle came into the draft with serious questions about their offensive line. Quarterback Geno Smith got mollywhopped behind it last year, and so will incoming quarterback Sam Darnold if the line doesn't gel. Richman was one of three offensive linemen Seattle selected over the three-day draft.

Connor Colby (OT; Round 7, Pick 249):

Cedar Rapids native Connor Colby was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round with one of their compensatory picks. The Niners purged a great deal of talent this offseason following an underperforming season, and the fact that their quarterback, former Iowa State Cyclone Brock Purdy, is going to command a huge contract.

Colby is going to be competing with a plethora of Niners players for the left guard job. As a seventh round rookie, it's a snowball's chance he's going to be a day one starter. However, he brings valuable college experience over the span of four seasons at Iowa. He could be a reliable depth piece, and in a system that's friendly to offensive players, there's reason for Colby to be optimistic with his landing spot.

Luke Lachey (TE; Round 7, Pick 255):

The final Hawkeye taken in the 2025 NFL Draft was tight end Luke Lachey, who has been with Iowa since 2020. The Houston Texans decided to give their tight end room some depth. Last season, he was a captain for the Hawkeyes, hauling in 28 catches and turning them into 231 yards.

With Dalton Schultz, Irv Smith Jr, and Cade Stover solidifying the Texans' tight end depth chart, it might be tough for Lachey to find an opportunity that isn't practice squad. Not every seventh round pick has a story like Brock Purdy's, after all. However, if he can become another reliable pass catcher for third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, even in relief, that's a massive win for Houston.