Check out this Iowa football player's impressive magic tricks

Iowa football player Aaron Mends is called "The Black Ace" — and for good reason.

The 6-foot, 227-pound junior linebacker from Kansas City, Mo., revealed his passion for magic tricks in the latest episode of "Between the Tigerhawks," a new, weekly video series hosted by Kimmi Chex that profiles Hawkeye football players on and off the field.

Mends told Chex that he got into magic when he was a kid.

"My mom owns a beauty salon, and I'd go to the beauty salon and she didn't have a TV or anything, so I would just read magic books," Mends said.

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He said he grew up watching popular magicians like David Blaine and Criss Angel — and says he thinks he's right up there with them.

Find out for yourself as Mends dazzles passersby at the ped mall in downtown Iowa City with a few card tricks:

Mends played in 12 games for the Hawkeyes last season, where he recorded two tackles and two assists, including one sack.

The Hawkeyes open their season at 11 a.m. Sept. 2 against Wyoming at Kinnick Stadium.

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