Iowa football in the NFL: Week 5 recap

After a quieter week four, some former Hawkeyes exploded onto the scene in week five of the NFL season.

There were huge performances from former Iowa football stars this weekend. Whether it was finding the end zone or finding the quarterback, a lot of former Hawks made big plays in big moments over the weekend.

Let’s take a look at the week five recap of Iowa football in the NFL, beginning in a familiar place for former Hawkeyes: Detroit.

Sam LaPorta’s huge day

The Detroit Lions‘ offense has lit up the NFL over the past month, and tight end Sam LaPorta has been a big part of that. That continued on Sunday, as LaPorta had a huge game in the Lions‘ 37-24 win over the Bengals. He had five receptions for 92 yards and a ten-yard receiving touchdown in the first quarter. He caught the ball in the flat, turned upfield, and flipped his way into the end zone for the score.

LaPorta has been a frequent flyer on this list, as he’s had a strong start to the season. He has 21 receptions for 269 yards and a touchdown in 2025 so far. And with how explosive the Detroit offense is, it wouldn’t be surprising to see LaPorta on this list again very soon.

A.J. Epenesa finds the quarterback

For the second straight week, A.J. Epenesa got to the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills defense. Epenesa split the sack with Deone Walker in the second quarter of the Bills‘ 23-20 loss to the Patriots. Epenesa finished the game with two total tackles, a tackle for loss, and that half sack.

After a slow start to the season, Epenesa has 1.5 sacks over his last two games and seems to be finding his form. The former Iowa All-Big Ten defensive lineman has had three straight seasons in the NFL with at least six sacks and looks to be on pace to reach that total again. He’s really turning into an underrated edge rusher in the NFL.

Jack Campbell continues All-Pro push

Just like his teammate Sam LaPorta, Jack Campbell has been on this list a lot this season, and it’s totally deserved. He was great once again on Sunday, piling up 11 total tackles and a tackle for loss in the Lions‘ win over the Bengals. Campbell now has 48 total tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in just five games this season.

He’s on an early-season pace to be an All-Pro linebacker this season, which would be an incredible accomplishment for the third-year pro. Campbell has really blossomed in head coach Dan Campbell’s defense and looks to be a huge part of the Lions’ plans. What a season for the former Iowa star.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football in the NFL: Week 5 recap

Iowa football in the NFL: Week 5 recap

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