Welcome back to our countdown to the 2026 Iowa football season! 

Since May 28, we've been counting down the final 100 days until the Hawkeyes swarm out of the Kinnick Stadium tunnel for their season opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5. 

Each day of the countdown has primarily featured an article profiling one of the current members of the 2026 Hawkeyes based on their jersey number. If someone wears No. 25 and we're 25 days from kickoff, then that's the player we're going to be taking a look at. 

There's been occasional setbacks as we try to achieve this goal because Iowa doesn't issue a jersey number for every day in our countdown, but we've succeeded for the most part. 

Today marks 22 days until the season opener, so that means it's time to take a look at the man who wears No. 22 - linebacker Derek Weisskopf. 

Get to know him here. 

Hometown: Williamsburg, Iowa 

High School: Williamsburg High School 

Year: Third-Year

Height: 6-foot-3 

Weight: 233 pounds 

Other notable players to wear No. 22: One former Hawkeye that many fans still vividly remember happened to wear 22. That player is of course former running back Tavian Banks. The Bettendorf native had to compete with Sedrick Shaw for his first three seasons, but shined once he moved to a starting role in 1997, collecting a then-Iowa record 1,691 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

Iowa's linebacker room is about as open as its ever been, which could bode well for Weisskopf. He didn't see a single snap during his freshman campaign of 2024, but that changed last year, as he saw action in 12 of the season's 13 games, collecting four tackles. 

Jayden Montgomery is really the only player that can be penciled in the starting lineup at this point, so there's no reason not to believe Weisskopf can't see an increased role in 2026. Plus, he's got a really good high school resume that proves he's ready for the position. 

Williamsburg is no stranger to producing talented football players (Kaden Wetjen), and Weisskopf was no exception. Weisskopf's high school career began just after Wetjen's ended, and he helped continue the success of Raider football. 

The 6-foot-3 Weisskopf was dominant at just about every position on the field, starring at wide receiver, quarterback, safety, linebacker, and punter during his career. Most analysts predicted him to be a linebacker at the next level, and Weisskopf responded by delivering 58.5 tackles, four interceptions (one pick-six), and one fumble recovery during his senior season of 2023, culminating in Williamsburg's first-ever state championship. 

Weisskopf received a plethora of awards for his performance, including Adidas All-American, Class 3A all-state captain, and Gazette co-Player of the Year. He was ranked as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and the No. 1 player in the state of Iowa, where he chose the Hawkeyes over offers from Iowa State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and others. 

Considering Weisskopf's versatile background, you can likely assume Iowa is trying to find a role for him this season. Keep an eye out for Weisskopf this year, whether on defense or special teams. 

HawkeyeRoundtable is giving away TWO tickets to Iowa's season opener against Northern Illinois on Sept. 5! 

This is easily the biggest giveaway we've ever done on this site, and it's a great opportunity for two lucky fans to experience the joy of attending a Hawkeye football game at Kinnick Stadium. 

Click here to automatically become a member to enter the contest! Additional contest details can be found in our community section, too! 

HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]