High-motor Hawkeye linebacker with special-teams value
Ries has already shown he can help Iowa in multiple ways: in 2025, he played all 13 games, finished with 7 tackles and a blocked punt, and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.[1][2] His best trait is versatility—he arrived after a decorated high school career as a true two-way playmaker, and at Iowa he has already flashed the intensity and effort profile that fits the Hawkeyes’ identity.[1][18] He looks like a good fit for a team that values toughness, special teams, and dependable depth more than pure star power.[10][1]
