Two Hawkeyes and Iowa Natives are AP Preseason All-Americans

The Iowa Hawkeyes football squad lost loads of talent on the defensive side of the ball over the 2022 offseason -- Dane Belton, Jack Koerner,  Nick VanValkenberg, and Matt Hankins to be exact. They also return some pretty important pieces in Seth Benson, Jestin Jacobs, Kaevon Merriweather, and Noah Shannon.

And then, there are the big guns.

Both Jack Campbell and Riley Moss are back to fortify the Hawks' 2022 defense. Campbell led the team in tackles last season with 143 -- second-most in the Big Ten and fifth-most ever for the Hawkeyes. Moss snatched four interceptions over 11 games last season to tie for second on the team with Jermari Harris.

As announced by the Associated Press today, these two defensive juggernauts have earned Preseason First-Team All-American honors.

Last season, Campbell -- a Cedar Falls, Iowa native -- was named a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele in 2021. He was also selected to be a part of the first-team All-Big Ten defense.

Campbell is joined at the linebacker position by Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama and Noah Sewell from Oregon on the first-team defense. The second-team linebackers were Nick Herbig from Wisconsin, Andre Carter II from Army, and Edefuan Ulofoshio, from Washington.

Moss, an Ankeny, Iowa native, earned first-team All-American honors from Sporting News in 2021 and was also named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.

He is the lone first-team All-American defensive back. The second-team defensive back is Jammie Robinson from Florida State.

The only player from Iowa State to earn preseason All-America honors is Will McDonald IV, who is a first-team edge rusher. McDonald has totaled 29 sacks in his tenure in Ames, which makes him the all-time leader.