IOWA CITY — There was a moment during Saturday's open practice at Kinnick Stadium when Cooper DeJean and Jon Nester almost came face to face.
They were on the sidelines. Dezeen, dressed in street clothes, could be the University of Iowa's next first-round pick in this week's NFL Draft. Nester was still a member of the University of Iowa's active roster and was in uniform, pads and a helmet.
But for a split second, the former teammates stood in front of each other on the Iowa sideline, as if Dejan was preparing to defend Nestor. Or vice versa.
It's not hard to draw greater symbolism from this scene between the two defensive backs.
Dejan was once in a similar position as Nestor. Like Nestor, DeJean also had a limited role as a freshman at the University of Iowa and was not yet very established at the collegiate level.
Dejan, of course, broke out in his second season with the program. He performed well last season as well, setting himself up well for the upcoming NFL Draft.
It would be a grossly unreasonable expectation to say that Nestor is trying to recreate the rise of Dejan. However, it is no exaggeration to say that there is serious discussion surrounding Nestor's abilities.
Let's take a deep dive into some of the players whose stock rose this spring, including Nestor. This is meant to highlight players who have been relatively under the radar in the past, but who have garnered more attention this spring.
Kaden Wetchen
The offensive side of the ball is much further along than the defensive side, so get someone who can help that unit.
When asked about wide receivers, offensive coordinator Tim Lester mentioned Caleb Brown, Jarriet Bouye and Kaden Wetchen. Lester said Wetchen is “very explosive,” and Iowa's offense needs that ability whenever possible.
Wetchen did not play for Iowa in 2022, his first season after transferring from Iowa Western Community College. However, Wetchen took on a special teams role last season. He returned 14 kickoffs for 335 yards, and with DeJean injured, Wetchen took over as Iowa's primary punt returner.
Wetchen could end up playing a more prominent role in Iowa's offense in 2024. Wide receiver is a position in great need of production for Iowa. Two members of Iowa's receiver rotation last season, Nico Raggiani and Diante Vines, have left the program. Jacob Bostic recently entered the transfer portal.
Iowa returns Kaleb Brown and Seth Anderson and could still make reinforcements from the transfer portal, but that position group is a big question mark entering the season and should get all the help they can get. Wetchen could be a wild card at that position.
He caught a short touchdown pass from Deacon Hill during Saturday's open practice, showing off his potential.
Zach Latmer
Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker admitted this wasn't a surprise internally. But maybe outside of the program.
So Parker's unceremonious abandonment of his praise for Lutmer is certainly noteworthy.
When asked specifically about him later, Parker said, “He's got a good skill set and movement, but his reactions and how he falls into some of the plays that he makes, you just sit there and say, “He's got a good skill set and movement. That's very impressive,” he said.
Lutmer, a three-star recruit from Rock Rapids, Iowa, didn't play much for the Hawkeyes last season and was able to remain a redshirt. This spring, Parker said he has been running Lutmer as a free safety, strong safety and cash position.
There's not necessarily a clear path for Lutmer to earn playing time in 2024, especially with the return of both Xavier Nwankpa and Quinn Schulte. But having someone as versatile as Lutmer to add depth is a luxury. Even if he doesn't make an impact this season, he could be a player to keep an eye on in the future.
“He still needs to grow,” Parker said. “He still needs to mature and be a little more vocal. It's not easy for a young guy to come in and try to control the back end. You have to have confidence and he's getting better and better every day. I think I'm gaining more confidence.”
Terrell Washington Jr.
Washington Jr. emerged as a sort of Swiss Army knife in Iowa State's offense.
He was mostly buried on the backfield depth chart last season, gaining 50 yards on nine carries. But Washington, now in his second season with the program, has gotten reps at both running back and slot receiver during the spring.
“I'm very agile,” Washington said of his abilities as a receiver. “I feel like I’m getting better at getting in and out of breaks.”
This is nothing new for Washington, who played running back and receiver in high school. Utilizing him on both teams appears to be beneficial to Iowa's offense for multiple reasons.
For one, Iowa State's running back room is already very crowded. The Hawkeyes return Leshon Williams, Caleb Johnson, Jadzhiun Patterson and Kamari Moulton. Barring a major injury, Washington Jr. is unlikely to be the main player in his return. Plus, given the Hawkeyes' deficiencies in that area, Iowa could use some playmaking at receiver.
“Good job, I'm getting better,” Lester said. “Sometimes he looks like a running back running routes and still running routes, and sometimes he looks great.”
During Saturday's open practice, Washington Jr. showed that it's not worth giving up what running back can do. He scored a touchdown run of over 55 yards.
john nester
Iowa had a preview of having to face life after Cooper DeJean in the final four games of last season. Now we need to do it permanently.
Veteran Jamari Harris is expected to start at the cornerback position. Harris, who started 12 games for Iowa State last season, missed this spring with an injury but is not expected to be a long-term issue.
There's a healthy competition going on as to who can fill that second starting spot. Nester, TJ Hall, and Deshaun Lee could be on the list. Lee started six games for Iowa State last season, appearing in two games in place of Harris at the beginning of the season and four games in place of DeJean late in the season.
However, Nestor is one of the players competing for a starting spot this season. “He's playing well. I like the way he's playing,” Parker said.
Having this level of depth at cornerback is a plus. Iowa realized the downside of not being able to do that two seasons ago when DeJean went down, resulting in a disappointing loss to Nebraska. Iowa was able to fill a number of holes last season thanks to Lee.
So even if Nestor doesn't start, having him ready for contingencies is another reason why Iowa's defense could be elite in 2024.
“In my mind, his ultimate goal is to push you beyond (what you think you are),” Nestor said of Parker. “There's a lot of talent in our group, a lot of players who love the game of football. This is a really rare, passionate group of players. So he's a great player that we're going to be very good at in the future. I think that's really good for us because he wants to do that and he pushes us really hard. And he wants to push us to the next level.”
Follow Tyler Tuckman on X@Tyler_T15email ttachman@gannett.com.