#95 Aaron Graves Season 2025-26

2024 Honors – – Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (coaches; media)... Team Hustle Award, defense... CSC Academic All-American... CSC Academic All-District... Academic All-Big Ten... Chuck Bednarik midseason Award Watch List... Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his play vs. Washington... 2024  - - Started all 13 games of the season at left tackle, marking his 13th career start... had 33 tackles on the season (17 solo, 16 assists), including six QB sacks for 26 yards, eight tackles for a loss of 31 yards, three forced fumbles, three pass break-ups, and two QB pressures on the season... the three forced fumbles led team and the Big Ten... the six QB sacks ranked 14th in Big Ten... recorded a career-high seven tackles (career-high four solo, three assists), including one QB sack and two tackles for a loss of one yard, and forced his third fumble of the season in 13-10 win over Nebraska... collected five tackles (two solo, three assists), including two QB sacks for 17 yards, forced a career-high two fumbles, and broke up one pass in 40-16 win over Washington... collected four solo tackles, including a career-high three QB sacks for a total of nine yards, as defense allowed just 189 yards in season-opening 40-0 shutout of Illinois State... recorded four tackles (two solo, two assists) in 7-35 loss at #3/3 Ohio State... collected three tackles (one solo, two assists), including one tackle for a loss of four yards, as defense allowed just 163 yards in 40-14 win over Northwestern... recorded three assisted tackles and his first QB pressure in 31-14 win at Minnesota... recorded one solo tackle, one pass break-up, and one QB pressure in 17-20 loss to UCLA... letterwinner.

2023 Honors – – CSC Academic All-District… Big Ten Distinguished Scholar… Academic All-Big Ten… Dean’s List student (2023 fall)… Forest Evashevski Academic Achievement Award… 2023 – – Played in all 14 games, recording 37 tackles (14 solo, 23 assists), including 4.5 tackles for a loss of 26 yards and 2.5 QB sacks for 13 yards, one pass break-up and one forced fumble on the season… recorded a career-high six assisted tackles and one pass break-up in 12-10 loss vs. Minnesota… had five tackles (1 solo, four assists), including one tackle for a loss of 11 yards, in season-opening 24-14 win over Utah State… collected five tackles (one solo, four assists), including 1.5 tackles for a loss of nine yards and one QB sack for eight yards, in 20-14 win over Purdue… recorded four tackles (career-high three solo, one assist) in 20-13 win at Iowa State… had four tackles (one solo, three assists), including half a tackle for a loss of one year, in 31-0 loss at Penn State… recorded three tackles (two solo, one assist), including one QB sack for five yards, in 35-0 loss to Tennessee… collected one solo tackle and forced his first career fumble late in the fourth quarter in 15-6 win at Wisconsin… letterwinner.

2022 Honors – – Dean’s List student (2023 spring)… 2022 – – Saw action in 12 games, collecting 14 tackles (5 solo, nine assists), including 5.5 tackles for a loss of 25 yards, and 2.5 QB sacks for 14 yards… tallied season-best four tackles (one solo, three assists), including first career QB sack and 1.5 tackles for loss, in 27-0 win over Nevada,… collected three solo tackles in 24-3 win at Purdue, including two tackles for loss… recorded one QB sack in 27-10 win at Rutgers… one of eight true freshmen to see action… letterwinner.

 

High school honors – – Named to Adidas All-America, Elite All-State team and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior… Adidas All-American and Elite All-State as a junior… named MaxPreps Male National Athlete of the Year for 2021-22… earned first-team all-state and all-district honors as a senior, along with being named district defensive MVP and Class 2A Hog of the Game in state championship contest… first-team all-state and all-district as a junior and sophomore… named district defensive MVP as a junior and district lineman MVP as a sophomore… third-team all-state and first-team all-district as a freshman… academic all-state… Career – – Four-year football letterman as offensive and defensive lineman… helped prep team win first-ever state title as a senior after reaching state quarterfinals as a freshman and junior… posted a 22-2 record over last two prep seasons, including 13-1 as a senior… holds school record for sacks in a game and career (37), along with career tackles (221)… also holds school marks for longest punt and best punting average (38.0)… 63 tackles as a senior, with 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks… recorded 10 sacks as a junior… 8.5 sacks as a sophomore… 67 tackles as a freshman, including 15 tackles for loss and 11 sacks… team captain as a senior… also competed in basketball, wrestling and track as a prep… completed prep basketball career as school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,356 career points, averaging 22 points and nine rebounds per game as a senior… placed fourth in state wrestling as a junior and senior at heavyweight with a 28-3 record as a senior… holds school record in shot put (52-2) and placed fifth at state championships as a senior… earned Associate degree from Iowa Central Community during high school career.

Personal – – Born 7/14/2003… exercise science major… parents are Amber and Mark Graves… high school coach was Mike Swieter.