Everyone's (preseason) all-American

Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn is cool with all the preseason hype going his way.

He was added the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given annually to the nation's top defensive player, watch list this week.

Also this week, he was named to the Sporting News first preseason all-America team. The 6-4, 285 senior from St. Louis, Mo., is also on the the 2010 Playboy all-America team. He's also on the Lott Trophy preseason list.

"It's an honor, I guess," Clayborn said. "I've been working hard for it. I think I deserve it, so it's good."

This week, Blue Ribbon Magazine, a football publication, ranked the Hawkeyes eighth in its pre-season rankings. Iowa has been ranked as high as fifth nationally (Sports Illustrated) and are in the top 20 of virtually every preseason poll.

Some preseason publications have rated Iowa's D-line as the best in the country. Phil Steele's College Football Preview rates the Hawkeyes D-line No. 3, saying "this is clearly one of the top DLs in the country."

"That's a lot to live up to," Clayborn said. "We're going to take it to Eastern Illinois. We don't want a repeat of UNI last year. We want to start there.

"It's going to take a lot of work to get up to that, the No. 1 D-line in the country, but we've got something to push for, I guess."

No visit to the Playboy Mansion this season for the magazine's all-Americans, something Clayborn noticed.

"There's no party this year and that makes me mad, but I'll take the honor. It is an honor, really," he said. "I wish we did (get a Mansion visit), but it's a great honor. I wouldn't mind taking a dip in the Grotto."