Takeaways from Iowa football's early transfer portal departures

The dust remains a long way away from settling for the Iowa Hawkeyes and the transfer portal. Still, some early departures into the portal have begun to paint a clearer picture for Iowa moving forward.

With the portal still in its infancy this offseason, the Hawkeyes have seen some departures from contributors on both sides of the ball, who are seeking opportunities to get on the field elsewhere or get a change of scenery.

The moves are not overly shocking, while one raises some eyebrows, as it was a defensive front-seven member who has flashed brilliance at times for Iowa and could have been in line for more playing time. With the departures, let's dig into what some of the early transfer portal exits mean for Iowa.

Running backs Jaziun Patterson and Terrell Washington Jr.

These departures are not overly surprising, and I think as the 2025 season wore on, it became more evident that the Hawkeyes are looking to turn the running back room over to the younger guys on the roster, who got more and more carries.

Iowa began to utilize Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil as other backs behind starting running back Kamari Moulton, and with the amount of eligibility that the two have left, these departures feel like an indication that the Hawkeyes are feeling strong about the running back group entering 2026.

Patterson leaves Iowa after tallying 858 rushing yards and four scores on 195 carries in four seasons, while Washington registered 182 rushing yards on 49 carries plus 51 receiving yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions.

Defensive end Brian Allen Jr.

Of Iowa's early departures, this one is a bit more shocking to me. Iowa has been turning defensive linemen into studs for the last half-decade, if not longer, and Brian Allen Jr., who had flashed excellent plays for Iowa in his action, stood in line to be another one of those.

His departure could signal that Iowa is excited about the younger defensive linemen on the roster, which could be impeding Allen's desire to be an every-down type of player or start consistently. With Iowa losing Ethan Hurkett and Max Llewellyn, there are snaps to be had at the defensive end position. Brian Allen's departure swings the door wide open for Iose Epenesa.

The Hawkeyes also played in the portal last year, bolstering the defensive line, and are already at it again with visits set up for Elon edge rusher Kahmari Brown and Holy Cross defensive tackle Brice Steverson.

During three seasons with Iowa, Allen registered 34 tackles, five sacks, and 3.5 tackles for loss. Over the last two years, he appeared in 24 games.

Safety Kael Kolarik

A bit of an under-the-radar departure, Kael Kolarik was a contributor for Iowa. In three seasons with the Hawkeyes, he appeared in 40 games, with 14 of those coming in his freshman season. That doesn't happen often at Iowa. With a secondary that was full, Kolarik didn't see much action outside of special teams.

This move could be a sign that the Hawkeyes are eager to explore some transfer portal options in the secondary, as they have already begun doing with hosting Anthony Hawkins of Villanova.

Quarterback Jackson Stratton

Probably the least shocking transfer portal departure is from the Iowa quarterback room. Jackson Stratton, who played admirably for Iowa in emergency action and will never have to buy his own beer when he comes back, is seeking a chance to play elsewhere.

With the quarterback room having Hank Brown, Jeremy Hecklinski, Jimmy Sullivan, and the upcoming arrival of the highly-touted freshman Tradon Bessinger, there was no path at Iowa for Stratton.

Stratton was called upon for the Hawkeyes last year after injuries depleted the quarterback room. In three games, he was 21-35 for 219 yards and a touchdown, while leading Iowa to a 2-1 record.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Takeaways from Iowa football's early transfer portal departures