5 Iowa football players named 2024 AP all-Big Ten first-team honorees

IOWA CITY — Five Iowa football players have received all-Big Ten first-team recognition from the Associated Press.

Running back Kaleb Johnson, offensive lineman Connor Colby, all-purpose player Kaden Wetjen, linebacker Jay Higgins and defensive back Sebastian Castro were Iowa’s five first-team honorees.

Another four Hawkeyes — cornerback Jermari Harris, punter Rhys Dakin and offensive linemen Gennings Dunker and Logan Jones — were AP all-Big Ten second-team honorees.

Johnson joined Penn State tight end Tyler Warren as the only unanimous first-team all-Big Ten selections. It follows the best season of his career; he amassed 1,537 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns.

This marks Higgins’ second consecutive AP first-team all-Big Ten honor. He had 118 total tackles in the regular season, and his four interceptions are tied for second in the Big Ten.

Colby, a Cedar Rapids native, is in his fourth season as a starter on Iowa’s offensive line. The position group was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.

Wetjen, a Williamsburg native, was named the Big Ten’s 2024 Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year last week. He led the Big Ten with 576 kick return yards and 312 punt return yards this season. He averaged 25 yards per kick return and 12.5 yards per punt return in Iowa’s 12 regular-season games.

Castro had one interception, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 11 games in 2024. He was a third-team AP All-American in 2023.

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti was the AP’s coach of the year in the Big Ten. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was the offensive player of the year, and Penn State’s Abdul Carter was the defensive player of the year.

A panel of 21 media members who cover the Big Ten voted on the AP all-Big Ten honors, including The Gazette’s John Steppe.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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