Zach Lutmer CB Iowa |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #6 ROLE: Slot/Nickel Zone CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/16/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.44 seconds (72%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.10 DOB: 11/05/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jersey: #6 | |
| ROLE: Slot/Nickel Zone CB | |
| Last Updated: 09/16/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.44 seconds (72%*) | |
| Age: 21.10 DOB: 11/05/2004 | |
| Overall Rating: |
85.9 / 100
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
71% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 69.6 | |
| Tackling: |
|
70% |
| Run Defense: |
|
82% |
| Coverage: |
|
87% |
| Zone: |
|
83% |
| Man/Press: |
|
88% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#66
Position rank:
#12 (DB)
|
||
| College Games: 26 College Snaps: 985 | ||
ESPN RATING: 74/100
|
||
|
247 RATING: 86/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| T.J. Tampa - Iowa State |
|
85% |
| Riley Moss - Iowa |
|
84% |
| Jarrian Jones - Florida State |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A small-town quarterback at Central Lyon in Rock Rapids, Iowa, Lutmer was the Class 2A Player of the Year and set school records for total yards and points, rushing for over 1,600 yards as a sophomore. He signed with Iowa as a three-star defensive back.He played two games and redshirted in 2023, then appeared in all thirteen as a redshirt freshman in 2024, collecting 14 tackles and an interception.
Lutmer took over the nickel job in 2025 and started all thirteen games, intercepting three passes with one returned for a touchdown while adding six pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and 56 tackles. He turned in his best game against Minnesota with an interception and three stops, handling coverage, blitz and run duties from an inside alignment. He added a sack and finished among the Big Ten leaders with three interceptions in his first season as a full-time starter.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- High coverages in both man and zone from a versatile nickel role
- Disruptive blitzer and run defender, with thirty-two stops and 5.5 tackles for loss
- Snagged three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown
- Size at 205 pounds to hold up in the slot and in run support
- Opened the year with an interception against Albany
- Played all over the secondary across 725 snaps
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling finish is poor despite the volume, with fifteen misses
- Tested by speed when asked to play outside in man
- Gives up catches underneath from off alignment in the slot
- Takeaways are solid rather than special for the coverage
Scouting Report: Summary
Lutmer is a versatile, productive nickel whose man and zone both held up and whose value extends well beyond coverage: thirty-two run stops, 5.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions including a pick-six, with the size to hold up in the slot and the aggression to blitz off the edge. However, he is an unreliable tackler despite the volume, he can be tested by speed when asked to play outside in man, and he gives up catches underneath from off alignment.Overall, Lutmer plays like an attacking nickel who sets the edge and charges downhill as a blitzer, though some schemes may see him as best inside a sub-package. He projects as a starting-caliber slot and sub-package chess piece, with the ceiling of a three-down nickel if the tackling tightens and the floor of a blitzing, run-supporting specialist and special-teamer.
How other scouting services rate Zach Lutmer (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
43.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
9.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.