Iowa’s Jack Campbell named AP Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Sam LaPorta earns first-team honors, seven Hawkeyes earn second-team honors

Dec. 7, 2022 11:33 am

Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell (31) during a game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Northwestern Wildcats at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. The Hawkeyes defeated the Wildcats, 33-13. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Jack Campbell can add another accolade to his resume.

Iowa’s star linebacker is the Associated Press Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, AP announced Wednesday.

The honor comes a day after he became Iowa’s first recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy and a week after he took the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year awards.

Tight end Sam LaPorta also earned AP all-Big Ten first -team honors after catching 53 passes for 601 yards in 11 games.

Seven players from Iowa’s defense and special teams earned AP all-Big Ten second-team honors — kicker Drew Stevens, defensive end Lukas Van Ness, linebacker Seth Benson, cornerback Riley Moss, cornerback Cooper DeJean, safety Kaevon Merriweather and punter Tory Taylor.

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