Iowa’s Top 2026 Defensive Athletes Right Now

With the Iowa football team currently sitting 2^nd in the AP poll, now seems like as good a time as ever to take a deep dive into the Hawkeye State and see what’s coming down the pipeline. What could be thought of as one of those “fly over” states, rabid football fans may want to take a look at five players on the defensive side of the ball that could be dawning the black and gold in a few short years. [caption id="attachment_216551" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-216551 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/10/MasonBeaver2026-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Photo: Submitted[/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="212328" first="Mason" last="Beaver"] | Defensive End</strong> This year, his 8^th grade year, was [player_tooltip player_id="212328" first="Mason" last="Beaver"]’s first year ever playing tackle football—and you have never been able to tell. A disruptive force off the edge all year long, Beaver found himself in the backfield on nearly every play. While these stats are not verified, in six games he’s believed to have finished with 18 sacks and 25 tackles for loss. Beaver is a hair under 6-foot-3 and is inching towards 200 pounds. The potential is through the roof here. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-216552 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/10/IsaacBeaver2026-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />[player_tooltip player_id="212327" first="Isaac" last="Beaver"] | Linebacker</strong> If that Beaver last name sounds familiar, it’s because now we are talking about Mason’s twin brother, Isaac. The other half of the duo is a just a little bit smaller at almost 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds but is just as promising as his brother. He plays a stand up, walked up outside linebacker and is very quick to attack the line of scrimmage and make plays behind the line. As is the case with his brother, he’s also a first-year player. Long term, I see him on the defensive line with as the other bookend with his brother Mason. Expect the Beaver boys to live in backfields for the next four years. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="212326" first="Hayden" last="Demaray"] | Linebacker/Defensive End</strong> Repping the 515 is consistent mismatch, [player_tooltip player_id="212326" first="Hayden" last="Demaray"].  On first and second down he’s a quick, instinctual linebacker who reads and recognizes very well. In obvious passing situations, he’s comfortable putting his hand in the dirt and rushing as a defensive end.  At 6-foot, 190 pounds and growing time will tell where he ultimately ends up, but he’s a promising prospect who knows how to hunt down offenses <strong>Ian Middleton | Defensive Line/Linebacker</strong> While the above mentioned is Demaray could be labeled as more of a hybrid, Ian Middleton is an old-school, throwback thumper in the middle. At 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, he’s built like—and plays like—a bulldog. In short yardage situation he’s an A-gap stuffer—either a as a blitzing linebacker or interior defensive tackle. He has played a little more defensive line this year as an 8^th grader at Dowling Catholic, so he’s another wait and see prospect as to where he ends up. <strong>Jack Wessel | Linebacker</strong> Football traditionalists like myself love players like Wessel because he brings with a throwback mentality. Standing at a chiseled 6-foot and 185-pounds he’s a two-way stud who can line up at tight end, fullback or H-bak on offense but is a game changer on the defensive side of the ball. A sure-tackler who lives for contact and blowing plays up in the hole, there aren’t many 2026 linebackers in the counrty who are put together like Wessel nor who play as hard.