The walk-on defensive back from Fort Dodge enters his first season in Iowa City.
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. We've had to occasionally mix things up due to Iowa not issuing a jersey number for every day in the countdown, but we've been rolling along the last few days with little interruptions.
Those of you who have been loyally reading this countdown already know this, but reading this countdown is highly encouraged to help you pass the time before the season begins.
Besides, we're only less than a month away from kickoff now. Today marks 30 days until the season opener, which means it's time to take a look at the man who wears No. 30 - defensive back Noah Daniel.
Get to know him here.
Bio
Hometown: Fort Dodge, Iowa
High School: Fort Dodge High School
Year: First-Year
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 197 pounds
Other notable players to wear No. 30: A recognizable name to wear No. 30 for the Hawkeyes is former safety Brett Greenwood. The Bettendorf native joined the Hawkeyes as a walk-on in 2007 before quickly rising to stardom, leading the Big Ten in interceptions in 2010. Greenwood suffered a near-fatal heart arrhythmia in 2011, but defied the odds and continues to inspire others today, even leading Iowa on to the field before a 2015 game against Pittsburgh.
Daniel's career so far
Daniel was a standout athlete at Fort Dodge High School, where he guided the Dodgers to an 8-2 record on the gridiron during the 2025 season.
Most high school players in Iowa play on both sides of the ball, and Daniel was no exception. He played in all three phases of the game - offense, defense, and special teams - but his calling card was on defense, where he tallied 35 tackles during his senior campaign.
Daniel received interest at the FCS level from South Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota and at the FBS level from North Dakota State (the Bison are moving up this season) and Central Michigan, but opted to join the Hawkeye program as a preferred walk-on.
Considering Iowa's success at turning walk-ons into star players (Greenwood is a great example), Daniel may have made the right choice by staying in state. Only time will tell for sure, though.
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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]
