20 Hawkeyes For 2020: Chauncey Golston

Veteran defensive end looks to build on big 2019 season.

A.J. Epenesa drew a lot of attention from opposing offensive lines last season.

The same likely will happen to Iowa senior defensive end Chauncey Golston this season.

Golston was a big part of Iowa's defensive success last season. He had 47 tackles, including 9 1/2 for loss, starting all 13 games. He was especially disruptive in the passing game, with three sacks, one interception, five pass break-ups and seven pressures. He led the Big Ten with three fumble recoveries.

Offenses threw a lot of different blocking schemes last season to try to contain Epenesa, which helped Golston on the other side of the line. He had a career-high eight tackles in a loss at Michigan, and followed that with another eight-tackle game in a loss against Penn State.

Golston was able to build on a strong 2018 sophomore season, when he had 35 tackles, including nine for loss and 3 1/2 sacks. He played in all 13 games that season as part of a defensive line rotation that kept bodies on the field all of the time.

It's going to be an inexperienced line this season, so Golston should see a majority of the snaps. He's already getting preseason attention —he has been named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy preseason watch list and is a preseason second-team All-Big Ten pick by Athlon Sports.

Golston and Epenesa were impressive bookends on the defensive line last season. There's no reason to think Golston won't have that kind of impact again this season.