Iowa Hawkeyes QB Lands Staggering NFL Draft Outlook

For years, the Iowa Hawkeyes have been trying to find a competent quarterback, and now, they may have finally solved their seemingly endless problem.

Iowa landed former South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski in the transfer portal over the winter, and suddenly, there is more excitement surrounding the Hawkeyes' offense than there has been in recent memory.

Gronowski enjoyed a stellar run at South Dakota State, winning the Walter Payton Award for the FCS Player of the Year back in 2023.

The 23-year-old has just one year of eligibility remaining, so if he puts together a strong season at Iowa in 2025, he could ultimately find himself mentioned in NFL Draft discussions. Actually, he is already generating some buzz in that regard.

It may sound jarring for a signal-caller who has yet to play on the FBS level to somehow earn a positive draft outlook, but Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network has listed Gronowski among several sleeper quarterbacks for the 2026 draft class.

"Aside from his 49-6 record as a starter, Gronowski brings a lot to the table," Infante wrote. "He’s tough in the pocket and possesses ideal arm strength. He has a dense frame at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds and can run well in space, too. The FCS leader in passing efficiency at 179.67 in 2023, Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player at the FCS level that year. He has also scored over 30 touchdowns from scrimmage in each of his last three seasons, showing off tremendous dual-threat ability."

A shoulder injury hampered Gronowski last season, but he should be 100 percent healthy for the Hawkeyes' 2025 opener, and he is expected to take their typically tepid offense to new heights.

But can the Naperville, Il. native actually do enough to establish himself as a legitimate NFL prospect? It remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, though: the Big Ten is a heck of a lot tougher than the FCS.

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