The Texas native enters his third year on Iowa's defensive line.
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 usually featured an article profiling one of the current members of the 2026 Hawkeyes based on their jersey number, but that hasn't been the case the last two days.
Iowa didn't issue a jersey number for both Day 42 and Day 41, but we're back to our usual ways today.
Today marks 40 days until kickoff, so that means it's time to take a look at the man who will wear No. 40 for the Hawkeyes this year - defensive end Chima Chineke.
Get to know him here.
Bio
Hometown: Plano, Texas
High School: Plano East High School
Year: Sophomore
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 262 pounds
Other notable players to wear No. 40: A recognizable name to wear No. 40 for the Hawkeyes is former wide receiver Bill Happel. Happel played for Iowa from 1982-1985, leading the Hawks in receiving yards during his final two seasons to help Iowa capture the 1985 Big Ten crown and reach the Rose Bowl.
Chineke's career so far
Redshirting in 2024, Chineke has seen action in just one game so far as a Hawkeye - the blowout win over UMass in Week 3. Chineke didn't register a stat in that game, but he certainly etched his name on the scorebooks during his high school career in the always-competitive state of Texas.
Chineke helped Plano East qualify for a playoff spot during his senior season in 2023, where he compiled 60 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He totaled 115 tackles during his high school career, and his performance soon led to interest from major programs.
Chineke was ranked as a four-star recruit by 247Sports (composite listed him as a three-star), earning him offers from Houston, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas, Vanderbilt, and others.
After taking official visits during the summer of 2023, Chineke's last stop on the tour - Iowa - must've made a great sales pitch. Chineke committed to the Hawkeyes a few weeks later, and ended up being a part of a 21-member 2024 Iowa recruiting class that ranked No. 32 in 247Sports' composite rankings.
Iowa's defensive line is wide open this year, so it's always possible Chineke could slide in to a rotational spot. Only time will tell, though.
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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]
