It has happen Iowa hawkeyes has sign sparking goal machine

But they were selected by organizations as undrafted free agents after the draft.
Unscripted Free Agent Monitor | Where former Iowa football players ended up
Several former Hawkeye football players who did not hear their name called in the seven-round 2023 NFL Draft were selected as free agents who were not drafted after the draft draft
Iowa defensive end Seth Benson leaves the field during the Iowa-Nebraska football game at Kinnick Stadium on November 25, 2022. Benson made eight total tackles. Cornhuskers defeat Hawkeyes, 24-1
Several former Hawkeye football players entering the 2023 NFL Draft did not hear their names called during the seven rounds of the draft.
But they were selected by organizations as undrafted free agents after being drafted.
Seth Benson, cornerback, Denver Broncos
Benson will reunite with former Hawkeye cornerback Riley Moss, who was drafted 83rd overall by the Broncos on Friday.
Benson, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, played 50 games in five seasons on the field in a Hawkeye uniform. He has started 34 of those contests, including all but one in the past three years.
The 6-foot, 232-pounder recorded 247 of his 258 career tackles during his final three years in Iowa City, all 13 tackles for loss and all five sacks ball. He had one interception in 2021 and one in 2022.
Benson was not invited to the NFL Combine but practiced in front of NFL scouts and other personnel at Iowa’s pro day in March.
“I was just ready to join a team and learn the playbook,” Benson said after Iowa’s pro day. “I think I can learn everything, pretty quickly, and I’m versatile enough to play wherever they need me. So I’m very excited about this opportunity.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein rates Benson as a strong, tough player, but said his lack of flashiness could hinder his professional play.
“Benson has a lot of strength and endurance when he competes,” Zierlein wrote. “He has no problem handling things when the action happens between the tackles. However, his lack of versatility and pursuit will likely limit his overall effectiveness as a professional player. Benson can play on special teams but lacks the tools to develop on third down. While there’s no doubting his shot-blocking ability, teams may view his limited range as a failure.
Former teammate and defenseman Jack Campbell, who was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round with the 18th overall pick, said that during the pre-draft process, however, several organizations asked him questions question about Benson and you spoke so enthusiastically about him. Hawkeye teammates.

“A lot of teams asked me about Seth and I gave each of them the same answer:
He was one of the best teammates I ever played with,” Campbell said after the day. Iowa professional competition. “One of the most underrated Hawkeyes to ever put on a uniform…I just think Seth is superior to anything I have.”
Benson was a 2-star recruit coming out of high school according to 24/7 and only had two offers to play college football:
South Dakota State, an FCS team, and Iowa.
Monte Pottebaum, cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers
In four seasons with Iowa, Pottebaum played in 45 games, had 10 catches for 85 yards and had 20 rushes for 82 yards and one touches the ball.
But his most valuable asset to the Hawkeyes is his role as an aggressive blocker, and that’s what profootballnetwork.com’s Tony Pauline saw in his assessment of the 6-footer- 1, weighs 244 pounds.
“Pottebaum is a tough tackler who can also be considered a pass catcher in the backfield,” Pauline wrote. “He has speed limitations, but Pottebaum can be put on the field in short-yardage or goal-line situations and used in a variety of roles.”
After Iowa football’s pro day in March, Pottebaum said he worked on pass-catching skills and route running to further diversify his game leading up to the draft.
“I went to Nashville with [former Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta] for about six weeks,” Pottebaum said. “We worked with George Kittle’s strength coach — I never actually met George because he was on vacation the whole time — but yeah, that was good. We were just working on, like, tight end stuff, like running routes, getting out of breaks, and stuff like that, which really helped me.”
Pottebaum said while he loves playing fullback, he thinks he may play a more versatile role for an NFL team.
“There’s still some fullbacks out there but also a lot of teams have that H-back-tight end guy that they use a lot,” Pottebaum said. “So I think that’s more my role.”
Kaevon Merriweather, defensive back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Merriweather will join former Hawkeye offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, in Tampa Bay.
Merriweather totaled 118 tackles in five seasons on the field at Iowa, most of which came in his final three years. Three of Merriweather’s four career interceptions came during his senior year in Iowa City.
Although Merriweather is listed as a safety, he said playing in the Hawkeyes’ defense has allowed him to develop versatility that he believes will benefit him at the senior level. next degree.
“Coming [to Iowa], I thought I had a great opportunity to do a lot of things,” Merriweather said. “Here, in our defense, I have to drop deep in the middle, I have to drop into the box, you know, so if a team asked me, of course I would say yes. I can do anything you need to do.
At the combine in March, the 6-foot, 205-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds.

“Merriweather has the size and toughness of an NFL safety, but he needs to improve his consistency in completing tackles near the perimeter,” Zierlein wrote. “He may have difficulty keeping up with wide receivers who match him in space. He may have the tools to cover tight ends, but he can play the short zone best at safety. Overall, Merriweather has physical characteristics that give him a good chance of finding a home as a backup.