Two Iowa football players – junior Cooper DeJean and senior Tory Taylor – were recognized with Big Ten Conference positional player of the year awards on Tuesday.
DeJean was named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, while Taylor was recognized as the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year.
The Hawkeyes had a total of 12 players earn all-conference recognition on defense and special teams. The conference office will announce the offensive honors Wednesday.
DeJean was tabbed first-team All-Big Ten as a defensive back and return specialist by both league head coaches and voting media. Joining DeJean with first-team accolades are LB Jay Higgins (coaches; media) and Taylor (coaches; media). DB Sebastian Castro was second team (media) and honorable mention by the coaches. Three Hawkeyes earned third-team all-conference recognition: DE Joe Evans (media), LB Nick Jackson (media) and PK Drew Stevens (coaches) with each player being recognized as honorable mention by the other voting group.
Iowa had four additional players garner honorable mention recognition, including DL Yahya Black (coaches; media); DL Deontae Craig (media); DL Logan Lee (coaches; media); DB Quinn Schulte (coaches; media).
DeJean is the sixth Hawkeye to be voted the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year since the award was introduced in 2011. Other honorees include: Micah Hyde (2012), Desmond King (2015), Josh Jackson (2016), Amani Hooker (2017) and Riley Moss (2021). DeJean joins former Hawkeyes Ihmir Smith-Marsette (2018) and Charlie Jones (2021) as winners of the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.
Taylor was named the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year for a second time, having previously won the award as a freshman in 2020. He is the first punter in league history to earn the distinction more than once.