NFL draft ends, nine Hawkeyes, Cyclones enter the NFL
DES MOINES, Iowa — A total of nine players from Iowa and Iowa State are entering the National Football League, with a third of those players heading to the same team.
A few weeks ago, WHO 13's Justin Surrency and Adrianna Torres gave us a preview of which Cyclones and Hawkeyes might be bound for the NFL. Well, results are in, with five Hawkeyes and four Cyclones heading to the big leagues.
Cyclone wide receiver, Jayden Higgins, was picked up by the Houston Texans during the second round, 34th pick. Higgins broke an ISU record with a TD reception in seven-straight games, he finished with 140 receptions, 2,166 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
Darien Porter, a cornerback from Iowa State, was picked up during the third round, 68th pick, by the Las Vegas Raiders. Porter blocked five kicks in his career, the most of any Cyclone during the Big 12 era (1996 -2024).
The Houston Texans grabbed another Iowa State wide receiver when they picked Jayden Noel during the third round, 79th pick. Noel ranks second all-time with 245 receptions and ranks fourth with 2,855 receiving yards at ISU.
Cooper DeJean coming back to Des Moines in May
The first Hawkeye heading to the NFL this year is Kaleb Johnson. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up the running back during the third round, 83rd pick. Johnson finished the 2024 season with 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, the third most rushing yards in a season in program history.
Jalen Travis, Iowa State offensive tackle, was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts during the fourth round,127th pick. Travis was an anchor on the 2024 offensive line, helping ISU rush for 27 touchdowns, tied for the fourth-most in program history.
Hawkeye defensive tackle, Yahya Black, was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fifth round, 164th pick. Black finished the 2024 season with 34 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, one sack, two pass break-ups, two hurries, and a blocked field goal.
Mason Richman, Hawkeye offensive tackle, was picked up during the seventh round, 234th pick, by the Seattle Seahawks. Richman started 52 games at Iowa as left tackle, with 43 consecutive games between his freshman and senior year.
The San Francisco 49ers grabbed Hawkeye guard Connor Colby during the seventh round, 249th pick. In 2024, he started all 13 games and helped rush over 200 yards in eight games, the program's highest mark since 2015.
Luke Lachey, a Hawkeye tight end, was picked up by the Houston Texans during the seventh round, 255th pick. Lackey finished 2024 with 28 receptions for 231 yards and has a career 74 receptions and 893 yards.
NFL draft ends, nine Hawkeyes, Cyclones enter the NFL
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