Packers Projected to Land Iowa Star Defender

The Green Bay Packers have been projected to land an Iowa Hawkeyes star defender.

Iowa’s Jay Higgins (34) lines up against Iowa State during the Cy-Hawk game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a few players who will be playing on Sunday's next season.

Obviously, one of those players is standout running back Kaleb Johnson. Another is star linebacker Jay Higgins.

At this point in time, Higgins is expected to be a day three pick by many. Most mock drafts have had him going in the fourth or fifth round. For a team with a need at linebacker, getting a talent like Higgins that late in the draft would be a massive steal.

In a recent seven-round mock draft from AtoZ Sports, Higgins was projected to end up landing with the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round at No. 159 overall.

While some do not project Higgins to have great NFL success due to not being an elite athlete, his skill-set on the field says otherwise.

NFL Draft Buzz certainly believes he has a bright future ahead of him in the NFL.

"While Higgins may not possess the elite physical traits that scouts drool over, his production, football acumen, and well-rounded skill set make him a high-floor prospect likely to come off the board on day two. He projects as a solid starter with the potential to outplay his draft position thanks to his reliability and diverse skill set."

Landing with a team like the Packers would be an ideal situation for Higgins. He is a hard-nosed player who leaves everything on the field each and every time he plays. Playing in the Jeff Hafley led defense would be a great fit.

So far this season with Iowa, Higgins has racked up 98 total tackles to go along with a sack, two forced fumbles, three interceptions, and four defended passes. He has shown off his ability to stuff the stat sheet.

HIggins is going to end up making some team very happy with the steal they get. Green Bay is the kind of team that searches for these kinds of steals in the later rounds of the draft.

All of that being said, the 2025 NFL Draft is still a long time from now. Higgins will have a chance to improve his draft stock throughout the rest of the season.

If the Packers happen to be on the clock around this stage of the draft and Higgins is available, it would not be surprising to see them scoop him up.