Iowa split in 2020 against Northwestern and Penn State. Iowa plays some Top 30 opponents in 2021 and these two teams should be two of them.
It didn’t matter if he was playing single- or two-high deep safety or if he was down in the box or manning the slot, Joseph’s coverage ability was on full display all season, and it ended in a top-three coverage grade among FBS safeties (88.5).
Expect interception regression from Joseph in 2021, but don’t let that change your opinion on the Northwestern safety.
The 6-foot-1, 203-pound safety has earned PFF grades of 82.0 and 82.8 in his two years as a Nittany Lion, forming one of the five best two-year marks in the FBS. Brisker also owns 85.0-plus grades against the run and in coverage over the last couple of years, something no other Power Five safety has managed.
He’s rocked up and explosive and certified himself as one of the best tacklers at the position a year ago, missing just one tackle on 60 total attempts. That 1.7% missed tackle rate led all FBS safeties on the year and was the second-lowest rate we have ever seen in the PFF College era.
Iowa has had trouble lately with one non-Top 40 opponent over last four seasons: Purdue.
QB Spencer Petras hopefully enters 2021 taking from his final two games, as opposed to his first two games.
Watch out for those dangerous men in the secondary in 2021, Spencer.
As Hayden Fry would have shared forty years ago, when Kirk Ferentz arrived in Iowa City, scratch wear it itches in 2021.
3. BRANDON JOSEPH, NORTHWESTERN
Joseph played only 13 snaps in his first season on campus in 2019 before taking a redshirt, but he exploded in 2020 and established himself as one of the game's top cover safeties. He intercepted six passes while being responsible for only one explosive pass play of 15-plus yards.It didn’t matter if he was playing single- or two-high deep safety or if he was down in the box or manning the slot, Joseph’s coverage ability was on full display all season, and it ended in a top-three coverage grade among FBS safeties (88.5).
Expect interception regression from Joseph in 2021, but don’t let that change your opinion on the Northwestern safety.
5. JAQUAN BRISKER, PENN STATE
After two years of stellar play at Lackawanna Community College, Brisker chose Penn State over Alabama and others in 2019. He has been one of the top safeties in the country ever since.The 6-foot-1, 203-pound safety has earned PFF grades of 82.0 and 82.8 in his two years as a Nittany Lion, forming one of the five best two-year marks in the FBS. Brisker also owns 85.0-plus grades against the run and in coverage over the last couple of years, something no other Power Five safety has managed.
He’s rocked up and explosive and certified himself as one of the best tacklers at the position a year ago, missing just one tackle on 60 total attempts. That 1.7% missed tackle rate led all FBS safeties on the year and was the second-lowest rate we have ever seen in the PFF College era.
Iowa has had trouble lately with one non-Top 40 opponent over last four seasons: Purdue.
QB Spencer Petras hopefully enters 2021 taking from his final two games, as opposed to his first two games.
Watch out for those dangerous men in the secondary in 2021, Spencer.
As Hayden Fry would have shared forty years ago, when Kirk Ferentz arrived in Iowa City, scratch wear it itches in 2021.
