NFL roster cutdown day usually brings more bad news than good, and for Iowa, it hit hard. Thirteen Hawkeyes were among the players let go, including four rookies, while Aaron Graves of the Baltimore Ravens, Ethan Hurkett of the Kansas City Chiefs, Mark Gronowski of the Miami Dolphins and TJ Hall of the New Orleans Saints are all searching for new opportunities.
But three undrafted Hawkeyes found a way to beat the odds and land on 53-man NFL rosters.
Hayden Large was one of the summer’s most unexpected success stories. The Bears tight end’s road to this moment has been anything but ordinary.
During his senior year, he suffered a devastating leg injury in an inter-squad scrimmage when his hamstring popped and took part of his pelvis with it. A doctor told him he would never play football again, but Large was back on the field by basketball season.
Dordt College was one of the few lower-level programs still playing football during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and it was the only offer he had. Large made it count, starting his first game and spending three seasons there before transferring to Iowa, where he played tight end and fullback.
The Hawkeyes’ offense never gave him easy numbers, but his role and reputation kept growing. He earned a reputation as the heart and soul of the team, and that same approach carried over to Chicago, where he impressed in preseason and emerged as a special teams force.
With the Bears’ top three tight end spots already set, his path was as the fourth tight end and on special teams. On Sunday, he got the news he was waiting for and made the roster.
Xavier Nwankpa’s path looked different, but the payoff was just as real. A former five-star prospect and one of the highest-ranked recruits to choose Iowa, he arrived with major expectations and played right away, appearing in all 12 games as a true freshman and starting once. He became a fixture in the secondary, opening 22 games at strong safety before moving back to free safety in his senior year, the spot that fit him best.
Despite all that pedigree, Nwankpa went undrafted and answered the snub with a simple line for the 32 teams that passed on him: "Bet. Watch this."
He followed it up with a strong preseason and a viral Chiefs practice moment when he flattened former Nebraska running back and fellow rookie Emmett Johnson after Johnson tried to make him miss in the open field. That hit only added to the sense that Nwankpa was making a real push for a roster spot.
He did exactly that, and now joins a Kansas City secondary dealing with injuries and trades.
Drew Stevens had a much calmer path through cutdown day. The Commanders had already made the decision earlier this month, signing him as an undrafted free agent and bringing him in to battle veteran Jake Moody for the starting kicker job. Washington cut Moody on August 17 and named Stevens the starter.
Stevens leaves Iowa as the program’s all-time leader in career made field goals and career made field goals over 50 yards. Like many college kickers, consistency came and went, but the leg strength was never in doubt. He didn’t hear his name called in the draft, but he quickly found a home in Washington, and now he heads into his rookie season as the Commanders’ kicker.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First 2026 Depth Chart Raised A Few Eyebrows Fast
Nebraskas first official depth chart for the 2026 season arrived before the matchup with Ohio, and it did more than just sort out the pecking order for the opener. It also gave a clearer look at where the staff thinks things stand on both sides of the ball, with the chart drawing attention for a few notable changes as the Huskers begin the new year.
The timing matters even more with the program still working the recruiting trail and the pro pipeline at the same time. Nebraska is set to host 2028 quarterback target Owen Herrick, a prospect the staff views as a top name on its board, while seven former Huskers have already landed on NFL practice squads around the league, a reminder that the roster churn never really stops in Lincoln. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas NFL Talent Gap Just Got Harder For Huskers Fans To Ignore
As NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players this week, the Nebraska pipeline to Sundays looked thinner than it has in years. Only eight former Huskers who finished their college careers in Lincoln are on active NFL rosters, the fewest in five years, a number that lands at a time when the program is already trying to show it can keep pace with the Big Tens elite talent factories.
The broader picture is even harder for Nebraska fans to miss. The Huskers have had only five players drafted over the past four years, and the program has not produced a first- or second-round pick since 2011, a stretch that stands out next to the draft output of Ohio State and Michigan. Nineteen former Huskers were among the players cut during roster reduction, though a few could still latch on with practice squads, leaving another reminder that Nebraskas next NFL success story is still waiting to fully emerge. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Added More Buzz To A Home Atmosphere Fans Treasure
Nebraskas home crowd routine has become part of the programs identity, and the latest sign of that came with Tuesdays announcement that the 2026 season-opener against Ohio is already sold out. The sellout stretches the Huskers streak to 411 consecutive games, a run that keeps Memorial Stadiums reputation intact as one of the sports most reliable draws, even with the game still well down the road.
Athletic director Troy Dannen and coach Matt Rhule have both pointed to ticket sales and the atmosphere around home dates as part of what makes Nebraska such a difficult place for visitors. The calendar also has a little extra flavor coming, with a themed game against Bowling Green built around America 250 and a drone show, plus a concert by Cole Swindell adding to the event feel that has become part of the Husker experience. [Read more 🡒]