Iowa football envisioned LB Cam Buffington's rapid rise

Every great Iowa defense in the Kirk Ferentz era seems to have a linebacker in the middle of everything leading the way.

From Chad Greenway to Josey Jewell to Jay Higgins, the Hawkeyes have been blessed with some great linebacker play over the years. Most of those great linebackers followed a similar trajectory. They sat for a year or two, learning the system. Then they entered the starting lineup and became instant high-level contributors. And it's happening again in 2026.