#26 Kaevon Merriweather Season 2022-23

Hawk Item – – Recognized by Iowa media with the Duke Slater Golden Gavel Award, presented to the Iowa football player who not only is most cooperative with local media, but exhibits themselves with professional integrity in all interactions . . . one of 12 seniors named to 2022 Player Council . . . one of 10 juniors named to 2021 Player Council . . . one of 12 true freshmen to see action in 2018, seeing action in nine games.

2022 Honors – – First-team All-America by Pro Football Focus . . . second-team All-America by Sporting News and Associated Press . . . third-team All-America by Phil Steele . . . Permanent Team Captain, defense . . . Coaches Appreciation Award, defense . . . first-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . second-team All-Big Ten by Assocaiated Press . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . . Big Ten Sportsmanship Award . . . one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Whitten Collegiate Man of the Year Award . . . named Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week vs. Rutgers . . . preseason fourth-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports . . . . 2022 – – Listed as first team strong safety following spring practice . . . started at strong safety in 7-3 opening win over South Dakota State as defense allowed just 120 yards total offense . . . recorded four tackles vs. SDSU, including three solo stops and one assist, including one tackle for loss . . . started at strong safety in 10-7 loss to Iowa State . . . five tackles vs. ISU, including four solo stops and one assist . . . first career forced fumble vs. ISU, coming at the one-yardline to stop a scoring threat . . . started at strong safety in 27-0 win over Nevada as defense allowed just 151 yards total offense . . . five tackles vs. Nevada, including two solo tackles and three assists . . . started at strong safety in 27-10 win at Rutgers as defense allowed just 61net rushing yards . . . recorded three tackles at Rutgers, including one solo tackle and two assists . . . recovered second period fumble and returned it 30 yards for first career touchdown . . . had third quarter interception and 33 yard return, along with one pass break-up . . . started at strong safety in 27-14 loss to #4 Michigan . . . six tackles vs. Michigan, including five solo tackles and one assist . . . started at strong safety in 9-6 loss at Illinois . . . matched career-high with five solo tackles at Illinois . . . started at strong safety in 54-10 loss at #2 Ohio State . . . recorded five tackles at OSU, including four solo tackles and one assist, with one tackle for loss . . . started ast strong safety in 33-13 win over Northwestern as defense allowed just 18 net rushing yards and 177 yards total offense . . . two tackles vs. Northwestern, including one solo tackle and one assist, along with second interception of the season . . . started at strong safety in 24-3 win at Purdue as offense allowed just 87 net rushing yards and 255 yards total offense . . . three tackles at Purdue, including two solo tackles and one assist . . . third pass interception of the season at Purdue led to an Iowa touchdown . . . started at strong safety in 24-10 win over Wisconsin as defense allowed just 51 net rushing yards and 227 yards total offense . . . three solo tackles and career-best two pass break-ups vs. Wisconsin . . . started at strong safety in 13-10 win at Minnesota . . . four tackles at Minnesota, including three solo tackles and one assist . . . started at strong safety in 24-17 loss to Nebraska . . .
two solo tackles and one QB pressure vs. Nebraska . . . did not see action vs. Kentucky.

2021 Honors – – Coaches Appreciation Award, defense . . . named to Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch List . . . 2021 – – Started at strong safety in 34-6 win over #17 Indiana as defense allowed just 77 net rushing yards and 233 yards total offense, recording one solo tackle and one pass break-up . . . saw action in 27-17 win at #9 Iowa State as defense allowed just 87 net rushing yards . . . three tackles at Iowa State, including two solo stops and one assist, along with one pass break-up . . . started at strong safety in 30-7 win over Kent State as defense allowed just 79 net rushing yards and 264 yards total offense. . . recorded three tackles vs. Kent State, including two solo stops and one assist . . . saw action in 24-14 win over Colorado State as defense allowed 95 net rushing yards and 250 yards total offense, but had no statistics . . . started at strong safety in 51-14 win at Maryland as defense allowed just 97 net rushing yards and 271 yards total offense. . . four solo tackles at Maryland, along with first career interception . . . saw action in 23-20 win over #4 Penn State . . . three tackles vs. PSU, including two solo stops and one assist, in addition to one pass break-up . . . saw action in 24-7 loss to Purdue . . . four solo tackles vs. Purdue to match career-best for solo stops . . . saw action in 27-7 loss at Wisconsin, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 17-12 win at Northwestern, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 93 net rushing yards . . . started at strong safety in 27-22 win over Minnesota . . . career-high six tackles vs. Minnesota, including two solo tackles and four assists . . . started at free safety in 33-23 win over Illinois as defense allowed just 64 net rushing yards . . . three tackles vs. Illinois, including two solo stops and one assist . . . started at strong safety in 28-21 win at Nebraska . . . four tackles at Nebraska, including three solo tackles and one assist . . . started at strong safety in 42-3 loss to #2 Michigan . . . matched career-high with six tackles vs. Michigan, including five solo tackles and one assist, along with one pass break-up . . . saw action in 20-17 Citrus Bowl loss to #22 Kentucky . . .three tackles vs. Kentucky, including two solo tackles and one assist.

2020 – – Saw action in all eight games, with five starts at strong safety . . . recorded 23 tackles, with 13 solo stops and 10 assists, along with one pass break-up . . . saw action on special teams in 24-20 loss at Purdue, but had no statistics . . . started at strong safety in 21-20 loss to Northwestern . . . matched career-high with five tackles vs. Northwestern, including two solo stops and three assists . . . started at strong safety in 49-7 win over Michigan State as defense allowed 59 rushing yards and 286 yards total offense . . . four tackles vs. MSU, including two solo stops and two assists . . . saw action in 35-7 win at Minnesota, recording career-best three solo tackles . . . started at strong safety in 41-21 win at Penn State as defense allowed just 62 net rushing yards . . . two tackles at PSU, including one solo stop and one assist . . . started at strong safety in 26-20 win over Nebraska . . . four tackles vs. Nebraska, including two solo stops and two assists . . . started at strong safety in 35-21 win at Illinois . . . recorded three tackles at Illinois, including two solo stops and one assist, along with one pass break-up . . . saw action in 28-7 win over #25 Wisconsin as defense allowed net rushing yards and 225 yards total offense . . . recorded two tackles vs. the Badgers, including one solo tackle and one assist.

2019 – – Redshirted in 2019 after seeing action in just two games . . . started at free safety in 38-14 win over Miami as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . career-best five tackles vs. Miami, including two solo stops and three assists . . . did not see action in 30-0 win over Rutgers due to injury . . . did not see action in 18-17 win at Iowa State due to injury . . . did not see action in 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee due to injury . . . did not see action in 10-3 loss at #18 Michigan . . . did not see action in 17-12 loss to #9 Penn State . . . saw action in 26-20 win over Purdue, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 33 net rushing yards . . . did not see action in 20-0 win at Northwestern . . . did not see action in 24-22 loss at #16 Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 23-19 win over #7 Minnesota . . . did not see action in 19-10 win over Illinois . . . did not see action in 27-24 win at Nebraska.

2018 – – Saw action in nine games, with no starts, , recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 211 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 13-3 win over Iowa State . . . saw action in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa, but had no statistics as defense allowed just six net rushing yards and 222 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 28-17 loss to #18 Wisconsin . . . saw action in 48-31 win at Minnesota, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 86 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 42-16 win at Indiana, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 67 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 23-0 win over Maryland, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 39 offensive plays and 115 yards total offense . . . saw action in 30-24 loss at #17 Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 38-36 loss at Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 14-10 loss to Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . did not see action in 63-0 win at Illinois . . . did not see action in 31-28 win over Nebraska . . . saw action in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State, but had no statistics.

High school honors — Earned second-team all-conference honors and was defensive Player of the Year as a junior… Career — Two-year letterman as defensive back… attended Romulus High School prior to attending Belleville High School as a senior… helped prep teams advance to state playoffs as a junior (Romulus) and senior (Belleville), as team posted an 11-1 mark as a senior… recorded 43 solo tackles and seven assists as a senior, with four tackles for loss and one sack…collected 34 tackles as a junior, with eight tackles for loss, and six pass break-ups… also competed in basketball and track as a prep.

Personal – – Born 12/20/99 . . . sport and recreation management major . . . earned Honor Roll recognition every semester for four years . . . earned Certificate of Academic Achievement for maintaining 3.0 GPA . . . mother is LaTanya Franklin . . . one of two players from Belleville on Iowa roster . . . attended same high school as DB Brenden Deasfernandes . . . high school coach was Jermain Crowell.