NFL Draft
3/7/25
5 min read
Yahya Black 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Iowa Hawkeyes DT
Height: 6055 (verified)
Weight: 336lbs (verified)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: Eyioma Uwazurike
Scouting Overview
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive tackle Yahya Black projects as a developmental nose tackle at the NFL level. Black boasts picturesque size and length for the role. He’s a massive human being with good density and elite length.
However, his leverage ability at the point of attack can be inconsistent due to some tightness in his frame, which limits his ability to effectively anchor and disengage off of blocks. Black’s passing game profile is ineffective and should relegate him to a short-yardage and early-down role, even if he hits his ceiling as an NFL player.
2025 NFL Combine Results
| Position | Name | School | 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Split | Broad Jump | Vertical Jump | 3-Cone Drill | 20-Yard Shuttle | Bench Press |
| DT | Yahya Black | Iowa | 5.39 | 1.88 | 101 | 25.5 | 7.63 | 4.72 |
Positives
- Elite length with 35-inch arms and a wingspan more than 7 feet
- Heavy hands create a powerful punch that, when well aligned, can offset upfield push
- Boasts functional strength to make tackles while engaged with blockers at the point of attack
Negatives
- Can get stuck in the mud laterally, losing gap control
- Does not possess a first step that will allow him to claim victories at the snap as a pass rusher or penetration player
- Limited appeal outside of a true space eater role, cutting down on his positional versatility and appeal to command a roster spot short of winning a starting job
Background
Black is from Marshall, MN, and played high school football for Marshall HS. There, he was a 3-star recruit who was a multi-sport athlete — Black also competed in basketball and track & field. Black committed to Iowa as a member of the program’s 2020 recruiting class, redshirting his true freshman season in 2020 before climbing into the rotation. He saw 14 games as a redshirt freshman in 2021 and another nine games in 2022. Black became a starter for the Hawkeyes in 2023, starting every game of the season at defensive tackle and claiming Honorable Mention All-Big Ten for his performance.
Black repeated in 2024, starting another 13 games and again being named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. He finished his college career with an accepted invitation to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Tale Of The Tape
Black is a hulking presence who offers a few essential physical tools that could afford him a role-specific opportunity in the heart of an NFL defense. You don’t find players like this just growing on trees — an inherent advantage to Black’s resume.
As a run defender, he’s an active player with good hand power and obvious extension advantages that show the ability to stack up the point of attack. Black can be difficult to uproot and push out of gaps against centers and guards if they’re charged with taking him on themselves. He has a dense frame, and although he doesn’t play with the lowest pad level on the field, his functional strength is stout. This is especially true on a static base when runs hit downhill, and he can simply square up and stack the block.
Black shows good vision to see through to the ball carrier in these situations to anticipate block deconstruction opportunities. He’s not the most agile or sudden laterally, but his wingspan is notably long, and as a result, even when he’s playing off of partial blocks, he can make tackles for minimal gains.
Black boasts a good pursuit motor, which helps make up for some of his modest lateral range. This isn’t someone you should expect to see making big-time chase-down blocks off the back side, but he plays the right way. In an assignment-based front with good execution from others, he can make second-effort plays off his spot.
As a pass rusher, Black simply doesn’t offer many translatable traits. He lacks the burst and speed to stress direct pathways to the quarterback, and with a large blocking surface, he offers a large strike zone for stun punches that will absorb his upfield push. In these instances, Black’s rushes stall out, and he’ll get stuck onto blocks.
He does show an awareness of the value of occupying throwing lanes and getting his hands up to bat at passes when he’s not capable of getting home to the quarterback. Depending on the protection call, he can intermittently catch a center in 1-on-1 assignments. In these instances, he does have the raw strength and power to collapse the pocket and create a tighter space for opposing quarterbacks to work.
Black’s focus should remain on developing added consistency in his point-of-attack skills. Every NFL team will be rotating defenders in for him in passing situations, and he’s poised to serve as a run-defending specialist.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Black should be considered as a developmental space eater in the middle. His lack of dynamic athleticism will be difficult to overcome for any other kind of role.
He will require more discipline with his leverage to see the field as a consistent contributor. Garnering a multi-year commitment to help him develop without appeal outside of the A-gaps could be a concern.
Grade: 70.50/100.00, Fifth Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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