Riley Moss is turning training camp into a reminder of how far he’s come - and why the Broncos are paying attention.
The former Iowa defensive back was never handed much. He was a late add for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes after a high school career that didn’t exactly come with a flood of recruiting hype.
Moss was a gifted athlete who started football late and wasn’t even sure he would play it in college. Ranked as only a two-star prospect, he ended up becoming a third-round NFL Draft pick after a standout run in Iowa City.
That climb is part of what makes what he’s doing now feel so familiar. Moss has carried that same edge into the Broncos’ building, and he’s showing no signs of dialing it back.
He’s long made his living in press coverage, leaning into receivers and challenging throws. Last season, that style came with some bumps once Pat Surtain returned and offenses started testing Moss more often.
Even so, he still led the league in targets with 118 and passes defended with 19. The part that stuck with him wasn’t the production - it was the penalties.
Moss was hit with multiple defensive pass interferences, and that’s the piece he’s working to clean up without losing the aggressiveness that makes him effective.
That balance has been a major focus this summer. Through training camp and workouts, Moss has been pushing to defend passes more cleanly while keeping the same physical mindset his coaches want to see.
It’s a trait that fits his football journey, too. At Iowa, he had to grow from a freshman thrown into action and struggling at times into the Hawkeyes’ clear CB1.
Now he’s trying to keep climbing in Denver. Moss knows the Broncos’ defense has been solid for a while, but he also knows it needs more.
They finished No. 26 in the league last season in takeaways, even while ranking in the top five in most other statistical categories. Moss wants to be part of the push that changes that.
So far, the work is showing up on the practice field. He’s already broken up multiple passes in camp without drawing a flag, and that’s the kind of progress that matters. He may not always be the first name people circle because Surtain gets the spotlight, but Moss is making it clear he can be a problem for opposing quarterbacks.
If teams keep coming his way, Denver could have a very different-looking version of Riley Moss next season - and one that might end up leading the team in interceptions.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Got A Huge Recruiting Boost In The Post
Iowas push to rebuild its front line has taken on added urgency, and the Hawkeyes have landed in the thick of one of the more important recruitments in the 2027 class. Khalia Hartwell, a highly regarded center, has drawn serious interest from Iowa as the program looks to add size after recent roster departures, and she now has official visits lined up as the Hawkeyes continue to sell her on the fit and the opportunity.
For an Iowa staff trying to keep pace in the recruiting race, getting Hartwell on campus is a meaningful step. She has become one of the more watched post prospects in the class, and her upcoming visits will give Iowa a chance to make its case against two other prominent programs still in the mix. How that trip goes could go a long way toward showing just how far the Hawkeyes have come in this pursuit. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Special Teams Overhaul Puts New Kicker Under An Immediate Spotlight
Iowas special teams room is in the middle of a major reset, with LeVar Woods gone and several familiar roles suddenly open to competition. Chris Polizzi steps in as the new coordinator with a transfer-heavy plan to stabilize the unit, and the biggest immediate attention is at kicker, where Eli Ozick is positioned to take over for Drew Stevens.
Ozick arrives with some real college experience already on his resume after transferring from North Dakota State, and Iowa is clearly counting on him to help steady a group that lost key pieces all over the field. Even with several transfer additions lining up to fill other jobs, a few spots are still unsettled, which makes this overhaul feel less like a routine summer shuffle and more like an early test of how quickly the Hawkeyes can rebuild one of their most scrutinized units. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Lands In A Massive Recruiting Battle For Elite 2027 Guard
Iowa has put itself in the mix for one of the countrys top 2027 guards, as Jalen Davis trimmed his list to 10 schools and included the Hawkeyes among the finalists. The Bremerton High School standout from Washington has drawn national attention with his play and summer production, and Iowa now has a real chance to make an impression as the recruiting process moves into a more serious stage.
Davis is set to take several visits, with Iowa on the calendar for Oct. 3 after he already made a stop at Washington. For the Hawkeyes, landing a player of his caliber would mean holding their own in a crowded battle against some prominent programs, and this kind of early traction matters when a prospects profile is already rising so quickly. [Read more 🡒]