By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – As multiple members of the media gathered around new Iowa punter Rhys Dakin to learn more about him, Iowa linebacker Jaden Harrell stood by himself about 10 feet away.

Dakin and Harrell were among eight Iowa players that met with the media on Tuesday to discuss spring practice, which will conclude on Saturday with an open practice at Kinnick Stadium.

The media is understandably intrigued by Dakin’s story because he was recruited from Melbourne, Australia to replace 2023 Ray Guy Award winner and four-year starter, Tory Taylor, who is also from Melbourne.

Dakin and Taylor are part of a trend in which a growing number of college football teams at the Power 5 level are recruiting punters from Australia where kids grow up kicking a ball as part of Australian rules football.

Taylor became a fan favorite during his four seasons as a Hawkeye because of his booming punts, and because of his uncanny ability to flip field position.

The hope is that Dakin will pick up where his fellow Australian left off with the Hawkeyes, and that makes for an interesting story angle, especially in the spring when hope thrives.

Harrell, meanwhile, waited a few minutes before a member of the media approached him on Tuesday.

It was sort of symbolic of his career as a Hawkeye.

Harrell has been in the program since 2021, but he only has one career tackle and has yet to start a game. He played in all 14 games last season, but almost exclusively on special teams. He didn’t see any game in action in 2022 and was redshirted in 2021.

And now the Urbandale native might have to wait another season before starting his first game since Iowa’s top three linebackers from last season – Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson and Kyler Fisher – all have decided to use their free Covid year to play another season.

Harrell was asked Tuesday how their decisions to return has impacted his decision to either stay or go.

His answer said a lot about him, a lot about Higgins and Jackson, and a lot about the Iowa culture, especially amongst the linebackers.

“It didn’t impact me negatively or positively. It’s a situation where there’s pluses and minuses to everything,” Harrell said. “They came back, but I got two great friends that came back, and I get to play another year with them.

“That might push me back another year, but I’m still going to get my time. My time will come.”

In this age of the transfer portal in which many players leave at the first sign of disappointment, Jaden Harrell is a breath of fresh air.

Of course, he wants to start every game and achieve stardom just like anybody else who plays big-time college football.

But Harrell also trusts the process and the people around him, especially Iowa Assistant Head Coach Seth Wallace, who also coaches the linebackers.

Harrell made a commitment to the Iowa football team when he signed, and he seems determined to finish what he started, even if it takes longer than he had hoped to be a starter.

“I’d say with the portal, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,” Harrell said. “I’m going to take my chances here rather than just leave. My relationship with coach Wallace is probably the biggest thing, and with Jay and Nick, and all the linebackers. I found it pretty easy to say I’m staying.

“Growing up a Hawkeye and just being from the state of Iowa, I love the linebacker room and I love the coaches here, all the players. We’re all good friends, especially in the linebacker room, pretty tight-knit.”

Harrell was in line to be a starter until Higgins and Jackson decided to return for one more season after the two combined for a whopping 281 tackles last season, which was the most by a Power 5 tandem nationally. Higgins also made first-team All-Big Ten and finished with 171 tackles, the most by a Power 5 player.

Wallace had some words of encouragement for Harrell in response to all three linebackers returning.

He told the 6-foot-2, 237-pound Harrell to keep working and that he would have a chance to compete at all three linebacker positions this spring to show what he could do.

No promises were made, other than a chance to compete.

That was enough to convince Harrell to stay.

However, Harrell didn’t need a lot of convincing after having already spent three years in the program.

Iowa linebacker Jaden Harrell on why he didn’t enter the transfer portal when so many in his position do. pic.twitter.com/eSiFCUzdyo

— Pat Harty (@PatHarty) April 16, 2024

Harrell judges his happiness on more than just playing time.

He has made friends for life within the program, and these friendships he will forever cherish.

“Maybe you can say that being here for one year your relationship isn’t that strong,” Harrell said. “But being her for three, that makes it pretty hard to go.”

Nick Jackson also met with the media on Tuesday and was told what Harrell said about the linebackers being real close.

Jackson is entering his sixth season in college, but just his second at Iowa.

Jackson played his first four seasons at Virginia where he started 33 games and finished with 354 tackles.

The NCAA granted the Atlanta native a waiver for a sixth season, and Jackson is excited about having another year to be a Hawkeye, though, he knows that his presence will make it harder for someone like Harrell to get on the field.

“Jaden Harrell, I think when it’s his time, I don’t think that anyone is going to be surprised what he’s able to do, or what he accomplishes in this program” Jackson said. “Is he ready now? Was he ready as a sophomore? I think he probably was. Is he ready now. He probably is.

“He’s done his due diligence in this program and I’m excited for him because I just know the type of player he is; smart, physical, fast. And I think when it his time, I don’t think anyone in this building will be surprised at what he’s able to accomplish.”

From a football standpoint, Harrell gives Iowa the much-needed depth that it takes to compete at this level.

The threat of injury always persists, so to have a player like Harrell entering his fourth year is beneficial.

Harrell hasn’t played a key role yet, but the fact that he came to Iowa on scholarship and represents the next wave of Hawkeye linebackers would make him appealing to some other schools in the portal. He could go somewhere.

And yet, he would prefer to stay at Iowa and fight it out, and more power to him.

Every team needs a player like Jaden Harrell, who is mature and unselfish enough to put the team first at a time when it is so easy to transfer.

Rosters are always fluid in this age of the transfer portal, but even more so during an open window period, as is the case now.

For example, Iowa receiver Jacob Bostick announced Tuesday morning that he is entering the transfer portal. It came as sort of a surprise since Bostick had met with the media less than a week ago and he seemed optimistic about his opportunity at Iowa, and about the new offense under Tim Lester.

It just goes to show that hardly anything is certain these days as more and more players look for that perfect fit.

Harrell could ultimately decide to transfer, but he seems to have found the perfect fit at Iowa, even without being a starter.

The Iowa football team is fortunate to have a person, and a team-first guy like Jaden Harrell, who truly represents the old saying, “once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye.”