Phil Parker raves about Iowa football DL Bryce Hawthorne

The Iowa defensive line underwent a lot of change this offseason.

Longtime stalwarts like Aaron Graves, Max Llewellyn, and Ethan Hurkett all left for the NFL, officially running out of eligibility. Their departures left the Hawkeyes in a difficult spot. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker had a lot of work to do to replace that production. His job was made a bit easier by the return of Bryce Hawthorne.

The Osseo, Minn., native was the only returning defensive lineman with starting experience at Iowa. In 2025, he had 15 total tackles and an interception, playing mostly as a reserve.

Hawthorne was thrust into a starting spot this season, and he's excelled. The 6-foot-3 lineman has 19 total tackles and 2.5 sacks at the halfway point. He's tied with linebacker Preston Ries for the second-most sacks on the team.

Iowa held its midseason coordinators' interviews on Tuesday, and Parker had glowing things to say about what Hawthorne has brought to the table this season.

"We showed a clip a couple days ago of Bryce actually making a great effort play on the sideline. We had a missed tackle in the flat right in front of our bench, and you saw Bryce start running after him. It was the way he's grown a little bit, the effort that he was putting in, and the leadership. He's hard to block, as you see, and he's very active. When somebody does that, it establishes that leadership role. That kid is playing very hard and going full speed all the time, and people respect that. I think he's really done a good job getting back healthy and playing well," Parker said of Hawthorne.

Hawthorne's hustle and effort on every play have earned him a lot of respect from his coaching staff and teammates. He's the kind of player who inspires everyone else to give that extra effort in the biggest moments. That type of leadership can't be taught.

With all of their goals still in front of them this season, the Hawkeyes will lean on Hawthorne's experience to guide a young defensive line. That group has already seen a big leap from Week 1 to now. It's fair to expect them to be even better after the bye week.