Iowa’s 5-Year OL Anchor Drafted by Patriots in 2008
Mike Elgin is not a current college athlete; he is a former Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman (born 1983) who played from 2004–2007, earning Academic All-American honors three times (2004–2006) and All-Big Ten candidate status in 2006[1][6]. His differentiator was elite durability and discipline—he completed the full 5-year Iowa program, a rarity highlighted as emblematic of ‘The Iowa Way’[8]. Drafted in Round 7 by the New England Patriots in the 2008 NFL Draft, Elgin represented Iowa’s culture of intensity, reliability, and intellectual rigor on the field[2][3][6]. He is no longer active, so he is not a fit for any current team, but his legacy remains a benchmark for long-term OL development at Iowa.
