4 Iowa Hawkeyes named to Athlon Sports’ preseason All-America teams
In a bit of recognition for what these individuals have done and what is expected that they can continue to do, Athlon Sports named four Iowa Hawkeyes to their preseason All-America teams.
The four individuals named were cornerback Riley Moss, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta, and punter Tory Taylor. The four of these individuals each had more than their fair share of impact on the success in the 2021 college football season that saw the Iowa Hawkeyes crowned as the Big Ten West champions.
Riley Moss was an All-American selection following last season and is expected to be spearheading the leadership of the Hawkeyes’ secondary as he returns for his fifth season.
Jack Campbell is one of the top linebackers in the entire country and looks to make his mark in the run game, pass defense, and put his stamp on being the defensive leader.
Sam LaPorta is the next in line to be another of the great Iowa Hawkeyes tight ends that joins the likes of Dallas Clark, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, and George Kittle.
Tory Taylor has proven himself as not only a great punter, but a field position weapon that can turn a game sideways and flip the field for the Hawkeyes. His skillset has the ability to set up the defense in a great spot and ultimately give the offense short fields to work with.
With the four of them being proven contributors for the team, they found themselves littered among the preseason All-American list. Below details what team selection they found themselves on.
Riley Moss, cornerback
Bryon Houlgrave/The Register
Riley Moss was a first-team preseason All-American selection by Athlon Sports. The 6-foot-1, 193 pound redshirt senior from Ankeny, Iowa, registered 39 tackles, nine passes defensed, four interceptions, three tackles for loss and scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in 2021.
Jack Campbell, linebacker
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen
Jack Campbell was a first-team preseason All-American selection by Athlon Sports. The 6-foot-5, 246 pound senior from Cedar Falls, Iowa, led the nation with 143 tackles in 2021. He also defensed eight passes, picked off a pair of passes, scored one defensive touchdown and finished with 3.5 tackles for loss.
Tory Taylor, punter
Tory Taylor was a second-team preseason All-American selection by Athlon Sports. The 6-foot-4, 230 pound punter averaged 46.1 yards per punt and saw 39 of 80 punts downed inside the 20 in 2021.
Sam LaPorta, tight end
Sam Laporta was a fourth-team preseason All-American selection by Athlon Sports. The 6-foot-4, 249 pound senior tight end reeled in a team-high 53 receptions and 670 receiving yards in 2021.
Takeaways for the Hawkeyes
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
With these four expected to be vital pieces toward the Hawkeyes’ success, there are a few takeaways relating to it.
First, with a linebacker and cornerback receiving these accolades, it can be expected that the Iowa defense is going to do its thing. With experience returning in the back end and at linebacker, paired with what looks to be a stellar defensive line, the Hawkeyes’ defense appears primed for a fantastic 2022 season.
With Sam LaPorta back and some youth at the receiver position, one can safely assume most of the passing game is going to go through the future 2023 NFL draft pick.
Lastly, Tory Taylor is going to have his number called. With his ability to put punts inside the 20 yard line, as he did with nearly 50% of them last season, he is going to be critical to pinning teams deep and making every yard earned against a stingy defense.
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