#36 Jayden Montgomery Season 2026-27

2025 Honors -- CSC Academic All-District... Academic All-Big Ten... Next Man In Award, defense... Coaches Appreciation Award, special teams... one of two juniors named to 2025 Player Council. 2025 -- Played in all 13 games, starting at linebacker in seven games... recorded 44 tackles (24 solo, 20 assists), including one tackle for a loss of four yards, two QB pressures, and two pass break-ups on the season while Iowa's defense led the nation in fourth down conversion percentage (23.8), and ranked fifth in first down defense (204), eighth in scoring defense (15.6), ninth in total defense (280.4), and 10th in passing defense (172.7)... collected a career-high eight tackles (career-high five solo, three assists) in 16-18 loss to #9 Oregon... matched a career-high eight tackles (career-high five solo, three assists) in 34-27 win over #14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl... recorded seven tackles (two solo, career-high five assists) and one pass break-upin 40-16 win at Nebraska... recorded seven tackles (four solo, three assists) in 25-24 win over Penn State... recorded three solo tackles and one pass break-up in 21-26 loss at #17 USC... collected three tackles (one solo, two assists) and one QB pressure in 37-0 shutout at Wisconsin... recorded two solo tackles and broke up his first career pass in 47-7 win over UMass... recorded his first solo tackle for a loss of four yards in 34-7 season-opening win over UAlbany... letterwinner.

2024 Honors -- Coaches Appreciation Award, special teams... Big Ten Distinguished Scholar… Academic All-Big Ten... Dean's List student (2024 fall, 2025 spring). 2024 -- Played in nine games, but had no statistics... letterwinner. 

 

 

2023 Honors -- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar… Academic All-Big Ten… Dean’s List student (2023 fall, 2024 spring)… Coaches Appreciation Award, special team. 2023 -- Played in 12 games, but had no statistics… letterwinner.

2022 Honors -- Dean’s List student (2023 spring). 2022 -- Redshirted… did not see any game action.

High School Honors -- Earned unanimous first-team all-conference and all-region honors as a junior… first-team all-conference as a sophomore… honorable mention all-conference as a freshman… four-year High Honor Roll student… National Honor Society member. Career -- Four-year football letterman as linebacker and running back… helped prep team reach playoffs four straight seasons, reaching state championship game as a sophomore… recorded five tackles and one tackle for loss as a senior… 72 tackles as a junior, with 10 tackles for loss and two sacks, while scoring two touchdowns… 127 tackles as a sophomore, with 11 tackles for loss and three sacks, while also scoring six touchdowns… 77 tackles as a freshman, with three tackles for loss and one sack… team captain as a junior and senior… also competed in track and basketball as a prep.

Personal -- Born 2/26/2004… business major… parents are Natalie and Jerry Montgomery… mother Natalie played volleyball at Iowa… father Jerry played football at Iowa and currently is a member of the Green Bay Packers coaching staff… high school coach was Gary Westerman.