Jake Butt names Iowa DB as one of college football’s elite players

Iowa enters another season looking to build on its defensive success last season. Cooper DeJean, Joe Evans, Logan Lee, and Noah Shannon are all off to the NFL, so the Hawkeyes will need some new faces to step up.

Nevertheless, Iowa still returns critical pieces to the Big Ten’s fourth-best defense in 2023. One of those players is defensive back Sebastian Castro, who Big Ten Network analyst Jake Butt had high praise for in his preseason player rankings.

“ Let me put it simply for you guys, this is the best nickel{back} in all of college football,” Butt said. “But Castro is a different case because he can do more than just play in the slot; he sometimes lined up at both safety positions. He even lined up in the box as an extra linebacker. He is a ball-hawk and a heat-seeking missile.”

Castro comes in at No.14 in the former Michigan tight end’s rankings, the highest of any Hawkeye thus far. Last season, Castro finished with 41 solo tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a sack, hoping to multiply those numbers this year.

The graduate student will undoubtedly be tested against the Big Ten quarterbacks on their schedule, such as Ohio State’s Will Howard, Washington’s Will Rogers, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. Fortunately, the Hawkeyes have other experienced players in the secondary, such as Jermari Harris and Quinn Schulte, which makes it just as difficult for these offenses.

History indicates Iowa will have another solid defensive group this season. However, if they can figure things out on offense, this is a team to watch in the Big Ten race.