IOWA CITY — Three University of Iowa football players — Jay Higgins, Kaleb Johnson and Kaden Wetjen — were recognized with Big Ten Conference positional player of the year awards on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes had a total of 19 players earn all-conference recognition.

Higgins was named the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Johnson was tabbed as the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year and Wetjen was recognized as the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. Iowa was the only Big Ten program with three separate players earning positional awards.

Defensively, Higgins was tabbed first-team All-Big Ten by both league head coaches and voting media. Defensive backs Sebastian Castro and Jermari Harris were both third team honorees by the coaches and media. DT Aaron Graves, DE Ethan Hurkett, LB Nick Jackson, FS Quinn Schulte and DT Yahya Black earned honorable mention by both the coaches and media, while DE Deontae Craig was honorable mention by the media.

All four Hawkeye specialists were recognized in 2024. Wetjen was a first-team all-conference selection (coaches; media). PK Drew Stevens was a third team honoree (coaches; media), P Rhys Dakin was recognized on the second team by the media and third team by the coaches, while LS Luke Elkin was tabbed second team by the media and honorable mention by the coaches.

On offense, Johnson was a first team honoree by both the coaches and media. Joining Johnson on the first team was OG Connor Colby (coaches; media) and C Logan Jones (media); Jones was selected as a third team member by the coaches. OT Gennings Dunker was recognized on the second team by the coaches and third team by the media. OG Beau Stephens and OT Mason Richman were honorable mention by both the coaches and media, while TE Luke Lachey earned honorable mention laurels by the media.

Higgins is the third Hawkeye in eight years to be voted the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year (Josey Jewell, 2017; Jack Campbell, 2022). Johnson is the first Hawkeye to be the recipient of Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year since the award was introduced in 2011. Wetjen joins former Hawkeyes Ihmir Smith-Marsette (2018), Charlie Jones (2021) and Cooper DeJean (2023) as winners of the award.