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Kirk Ferentz says Iowa would be ‘stupid’ to redshirt true freshman DL in 2022
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Kirk Ferentz did not mince his words when it came to discussing true freshman Aaron Graves. The highly-touted defensive lineman has had an impactful fall camp, and it sounds like Graves will be playing in his first year with the program.
Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Ferentz was asked about Graves. The head coach admitted redshirting Graves would be “stupid” for the Hawkeyes and said he deserves to be on the field with the older players.
Kirk Ferentz: Redshirting true freshman DE Aaron Graves would be “stupid on our part right now.”
“He belongs on the field with the older guys.”
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) August 13, 2022
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 260, Graves arrived on campus as a 4-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He was also the No. 2 player out of Iowa for the cycle, according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.
Still, those ratings get wiped away as soon as a player steps on campus. It sounds like Graves is earning and working his way into the rotation and onto the field for the Hawkeyes.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.