Iowa Hawkeyes’ Monte Pottebaum No. 8 on Mel Kiper of ESPN’s fullbacks big board

Give me some fullback love! That is what we have here with the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Monte Pottebaum being placed on Mel Kiper’s top ten list of fullbacks and H-backs in the country leading into the 2023 NFL draft. Pottebaum finds himself at No. 8 per Kiper’s ESPN rankings.

If there is an offense that could successfully create a true, bruising fullback it would be the Hawkeyes in their old-school fashion. Pottebaum was the bulldozer for Tyler Goodson during his standout years in Iowa City.

Pottebaum is an old-school, hard-nosed player that doesn’t shy away from contact in the trenches. Being in Iowa also shows his willingness to do what it takes to be successful as he transitioned from linebacker to fullback just before the 2019 season.

While Pottebaum has the physical attributes to take on any linebacker in a fearless fashion, his game even has a little bit of finesse to it as well. During his career he has produced seven receptions for 48 yards in an offense that doesn’t throw the ball to their fullbacks all that often.

Pottebaum isn’t afraid of toting the rock either. The fullback has 76 yards on 17 carries giving him a pretty impressive output of nearly 4.5 yards per carry. He has also found the end zone and reaped the rewards of the hard work he does in the blocking game.

Fullback can often be a thankless position but Pottebaum has undertaken the role and grown into one of the top ten in the entire country. Coming back for the upcoming 2022 season should provide him plenty of opportunities to lead the way for Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams before he gets his shot in the NFL.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire