Two members of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ defensive line will be forgoing any remaining college eligibility to pursue NFL careers, Daviyon Nixon and Chauncey Golston announced Wednesday in separate social media posts.
Nixon, a defensive tackle, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 after collecting 45 tackles and leading the conference with 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Nixon, at 6-foot-3 and 305-pounds, was the only player in the country to be named a finalist for both the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy while also being a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.
“Like most kids who put on a helmet and pads, I dreamed of playing in the NFL one day. I feel like now is my chance to make that dream a reality,” Nixon wrote on Twitter, where he also declared himself for the 2021 NFL Draft instead of returning to Iowa for his senior season.
Golston, who played defensive end in Iowa’s scheme, joined Nixon on the all-conference first team and tallied 45 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and tied Nixon for the league lead with 5.5 sacks. Golston was eligible to return for 2021, but will also eschew his final year for entry in the 2021 draft. Golston had 129 career tackles, 27 career tackles for loss and 12 sacks as a three-year starter.
Golston and Nixon had planned to play for the Hawkeyes in the Music City Bowl, which was scheduled for Wednesday. But the bowl was canceled because of COVID-19 issues with bowl opponent Missouri. Iowa finished the season at 6-2 and ended the year on a six-game winning streak.
