Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, others earn all-Big Ten recognition

IOWA CITY - Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell has been named the 2022 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday.

Iowa defensive backs Cooper DeJean and Riley Moss joined Campbell as first-team all-Big Ten selections. DeJean was a first-team media selection and second-team coaches selection. Moss was a first-team coaches selection and second-team media selection.

Defensive linemen Lukas Van Ness and Joe Evans and linebacker Seth Benson were second-team all-Big Ten honorees. Van Ness and Benson were coaches and media selections. Evans was a second-team media selection and honorable mention from coaches.

Defensive linemen Logan Lee and Noah Shannon and defensive back Kaevon Merriweather were honorable mentions from coaches and media.

Campbell has led the Hawkeyes in tackles for the last two seasons with 143 in 2021 and 118 in 2022 with one game still to go.

The Cedar Falls native is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and the Butkus Award. He was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and Rotary Lombardi Award, but was not a finalist.

This year marks the third consecutive year Moss earned all-Big Ten recognition. He was an honorable mention in 2020 and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year in 2021.

DeJean’s first-team all-Big Ten honor follows a breakout season in which he had a team-high four interceptions. He returned two of the interceptions for touchdowns. The only player with more pass breakups than DeJean, who has seven, is Moss with 10.

Iowa’s six defensive players to receive either first- or second-team honors were the most in the conference, followed by Michigan and Illinois with four each.

Special teams awards

Iowa punter Tory Taylor was a first-team all-Big Ten selection from media and a third-team selection from coaches.

Kicker Drew Stevens was a second-team selection from media and third-team selection from coaches.

Taylor averaged 45.1 yards per punt in the regular season with 32 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and 11 touchbacks. Twenty-two of his 74 punts went for at least 50 yards.

Stevens, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, has connected on 16 of 18 field goals as a true freshman. His two misses were from 44 and 45 yards out. He was 2-for-2 from 50-plus yards.

The Big Ten plans to unveil its offensive all-conference selections Wednesday.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com