IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa senior linebacker Jay Higgins has been named to the Big Ten Conference preseason honors list. The announcement was made by the league office on Tuesday.
Twelve student-athletes from all 18 conference schools were selected by a media panel.
Higgins has also been named Walter Camp, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele 2024 preseason first-team All-America, as well as being recognized as the preseason National Defensive Player of the Year by Phil Steele.
Higgins started at middle linebacker in all 14 games in 2023, leading the Hawkeyes with 171 tackles (79 solo, 92 assists). The figure tied an Iowa single season school record, led the Big Ten and ranked third nationally. He finished with 15+ tackles in three games and 10+ tackles in 10 contests.
The Indianapolis native earned All-America distinction from eight different outlets a season ago and was Iowa’s Roy Carver Most Valuable Player on defense for a unit that ranked fourth nationally, surrendering 14.8 points per game.
The Hawkeyes have had 11 players named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List in the last 11 seasons. They include Higgins (2024, defensive back/return specialist Cooper DeJean (2023), linebacker Jack Campbell (2022), center Tyler Linderbaum (2021), defensive end A.J. Epenesa (2019), tight end Noah Fant (2018), linebacker Josey Jewell (2017), quarterback C.J. Beathard (2016), defensive back Desmond King (2016), defensive end Drew Ott (2015) and offensive tackle Brandon Scherff (2014). DeJean, Campbell, Linderbaum, Epenesa, Fant, Jewell, Beathard, King, and Scherff were selected in the NFL Draft after making the list.
The Hawkeyes open the 2024 season against Illinois State on Aug. 31, on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium, at 11 a.m. (CT).
All seven Hawkeye home games this fall are sold out.
2024 Big Ten Preseason Honors
LB Jay Higgins, IOWA
DT Mason Graham, MICH
DB Will Johnson, MICH
TE Colston Loveland, MICH
QB Dillon Gabriel, ORE
WR Tez Johnson, ORE
SAF Caleb Downs, OSU
WR Emeka Egbuka, OSU
RB TreVeyon Henderson, OSU
DE JT Tuimoloau, OSU
DE Abdul Carter, PSU
RB Kyle Monangai, RU