Iowa’s defensive line didn’t just lose bodies this offseason. It lost established production, too.
Aaron Graves, Max Llewellyn and Ethan Hurkett all moved on to the NFL after their eligibility expired, leaving Phil Parker with a major rebuild up front. For a group that had to absorb that kind of turnover, Bryce Hawthorne became the one familiar piece Parker could count on.
The Osseo, Minn., native was Iowa’s only returning defensive lineman with starting experience, and in 2025 he had mostly filled a reserve role. He finished with 15 total tackles and an interception. This season, though, Hawthorne has taken on a much bigger load and made it look natural.
At the halfway point, the 6-foot-3 lineman has 19 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. That ties him with linebacker Preston Ries for the second-most sacks on the team, a strong mark for a player who had to step into a starting job and help stabilize a defense in transition.
Parker had plenty to say about Hawthorne during Iowa’s midseason coordinators’ interviews on Tuesday, and the praise came easily.
"We showed a clip a couple days ago of Bryce actually making a great effort play on the sideline. We had a missed tackle in the flat right in front of our bench, and you saw Bryce start running after him.
It was the way he's grown a little bit, the effort that he was putting in, and the leadership. He's hard to block, as you see, and he's very active.
When somebody does that, it establishes that leadership role. That kid is playing very hard and going full speed all the time, and people respect that.
I think he's really done a good job getting back healthy and playing well," Parker said of Hawthorne.
That kind of effort has turned Hawthorne into more than just a steady starter. It has made him a tone-setter for a young defensive line that has already made a noticeable jump from Week 1 to now.
The Hawkeyes still have all of their goals ahead of them, and Hawthorne’s experience will matter as that group keeps growing. After the bye week, there’s reason to think the line can be even better.
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