Iowa's linebacker room took a step back last season from its usual standard.
After a few seasons of Jack Campbell and Jay Higgins manning the middle, the Hawkeyes didn't quite get their usual production from that room in 2025. Karson Sharar and Jaden Harrell held their own, but didn't jump off the page. Heading into the 2026 season, it looks like the linebackers are in a much better position.
Jayden Montgomery and Cam Buffington look primed to be the starters in that room. There's a lot of upside with that duo.
Behind them, there's names like Preston Ries, Landyn Van Kekerix, Nolan DeLong, and Derek Weisskopf who have flashed on special teams and could get a fair amount of defensive snaps this season.
Iowa linebackers coach Seth Wallace is confident in his entire room to make plays and made an encouraging declaration with the media last week.
"In my 13 years coaching the linebackers, this might be the most depth we’ve had, and probably the most competition we’ve had," Wallace said. "Some of that stems from losing three guys last year that were starters, there's some open vacany there. Jayden (Montgomery) is really the only one returning with significant experience... Cam (Buffington) is doing a really good job, but I would share this with everybody. There's six or seven guys that have shown up in a significant way."
Wallace would go on to talk about some of the other guys in the room behind the projected starters who have impressed in camp.
"Landyn (Van Kekerix) is a young man that's been on our special teams for years, so he's got the game experience. He knows what it feels like to be out there, to travel each and every week, to prepare each and every week. Derek (Weisskopf), Preston (Ries), Nolan (DeLong), those guys have dug their toes in and gone to work each and every day. The room collectively, there's 13 guys in there, they operate extremely well together."
While there may be some concern from the fan base about the lack of experience in the linebacker room, Wallace is confident in his guys' ability to step up in 2026. With a brand new defensive line in front of them, the Hawkeyes will need their linebackers to make plays. It seems like the talent is there for the group to do just that.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football lauds LB depth entering 2026 campaign
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