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IT'S NOT PLAGIARISM IF YOU LINK TO IT: NOW THAT THE 2015 NFL DRAFT IS OVER

What prospects, if any, does Iowa have for the NFL Draft for next year?

By PlannedSickDays
Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

THE 2015 NFL DRAFT IS IN THE BOOKS. Several of Iowa's senior class will get a shot this Summer in NFL camps. Three heard their names on Draft Day. What prospects does Iowa have for the League for next year at this time? (We do this annually. Last year I missed on Ray Hamilton, badly. And Nico Law never made it to Fall. But, let's try again and try to be better this time.)

There will likely be no first round picks next year off of this squad. Chances are very good Iowa gets shutout of the first two days of the now three day NFL Draft. This 2015 Hawkeye team isn't full of pro talent but a few might have a chance to hear their names in the Draft's later rounds.

Iowa's best prospect and player, Drew Ott, is in a league packed full of talent at defensive end. Ott won't likely unseat Joey Bosa or Shilique Calhoun on the Big Ten's first team ballots but he could be a solid 2nd teamer. You won't see Ott listed among many too-early lists and he's likely a late-round pick or free agent possibility.

Tevaun Smith could have a special season but we've seen that before. Marvin McNutt set Iowa receiving record books on fire and prior to the 2012 NFL Draft. Draftniks had McNutt as high as the third round before he eventually landed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round. The next year, Keenan Davis was an undrafted free agent after mocks had him as high as a fifth or sixth rounder at various times. Put Smith's ceiling at the sixth round unless a true breakout happens.

Iowa's next best prospect, Jake Duzey, may miss the season. Or, at least, join the team in-season and have to shake off some rust as the season goes. Fellow senior Henry Krieger-Coble, like Duzey, will likely get rookie camp invites. Iowa tight ends always do.

Austin Blythe is listed as the 13th best center prospect for 2016 according to Walter Football dot com. Blythe, like Ott, will have a difficult time unseating a good player ahead of him in Jack Allen at Michigan State to earn first team all league honors. Blythe has a legit chance at hearing his name in the 6th-7th rounds.

Next to Blythe, Jordan Walsh has had a very roller coaster career. More of the down than up too. But, we've seen this movie before and with a strong Pro Day could garner enough interest to hear his name Draft Day. Walsh is a likely free agent signing.

One possible surprise, Jordan Lomax. He could sneak into the late rounds, ala Jordan Bernstine. He has the smarts to be the quarterback of the backfield but he may lack the speed to play at the professional level. Last year he was just learning the ropes but in spring he's looked confident and truly the defensive leader of the back seven. He'll get a shot. Tanner Miller, John Lowdermilk and Greg Castillo did.

Finally, Jacob Hillyer probably gets a shot? I mean, Don Shumpert did. But, Shumpert (and Damond Powell) ran sub 4.4 40 times at Iowa's Pro Day. That kind of speed gets your foot in the door. I don't think Hillyer has anything close to that but someone will give him a rookie camp look, maybe.

Jordan Canzeri, Travis Perry and Nate Meier are what's left. At this stage it's silly to assume not all of Iowa's departing seniors get a look somewhere.

GONE BABY GONE. Iowa loses another from the current roster. John Kenny decided to depart ways in search of continuing his career elsewhere. Kenny was entering his third year with the program and started his career at linebacker, moved to fullback and back to linebacker this spring. Kenny is the second third teamer to leave the team this week. Possibly more troubling, he's the 7th of 22 commits in 2013 recruiting class to leave. Of that class, Damond Powell has graduated and Sean Welsh missed spring ball due to "family issues."

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