Iowa football’s Cooper DeJean, Tory Taylor unanimous consensus All-America

DeJean and Taylor are the 14th and 15th unanimous All-Americans in program history, with 11 of those honorees coming under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

December 14, 2023

Grace Smith

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean runs toward the end zone for a touchdown after a punt return during a football game between Iowa and Michigan State at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. The Hawkeyes defeated the Spartans, 26-16. DeJean’s touchdown on the punt return was 70 yards.

Iowa football’s Cooper DeJean and Tory Taylor are unanimous consensus All-Americans.

They were each recognized as first-team All-America by Walter Camp, Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, and Sporting News.

DeJean and Taylor are the 14th and 15th unanimous All-Americans in program history, with 12 of those honorees coming under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

This marks the fourth straight season in which the Hawkeyes have had at least one unanimous All-American — defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon in 2020, center Tyler Linderbaum in 2021, and linebacker Jack Campbell in 2022. It is the first time Iowa has had multiple unanimous All-Americans since 2017 when defensive back Josh Jackson and linebacker Josey Jewell both earned the honor, per John Steppe of The Gazette.

DeJean suffered a season-ending injury in mid-November but still earned plenty of recognition. Hailing from Odebolt, Iowa, DeJean was named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski awards, given to the nation’s best defensive back and best defensive player, respectively.

DeJean played 388 snaps in coverage this season without giving up a touchdown. He leads the Hawkeyes with five pass break-ups and ranks second on the team with two interceptions.

He returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against Michigan State to seal a 26-16 Hawkeye victory. His second game-winning punt return touchdown was negated because of an “invalid fair catch signal” against Minnesota.

DeJean has not announced if he plans to return to Iowa next season or enter the NFL Draft.

Taylor was named Big Ten Punter of the Year and won the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best collegiate punter.

This season, the 26-year-old from Melbourne, Australia, broke the program record for number of career punts and punting yards, totaling 288 boots for 13,297 yards. He has recorded 4,119 yards over Iowa’s 13 games this year. He is shy of breaking the NCAA single-season punting yards record (4,138) set by Michigan State’s Johnny Pingel in 1938, according to Scott Dochterman of The Athletic. Thirty of Taylor’s 86 punts this season have been downed inside the 20-yard line, thanks in part to DeJean as a gunner.

Taylor has confirmed he will not return to Iowa next season.

About the Contributors

Kenna Roering, Sports Editor

she/her/hers

Kenna Roering is The Daily Iowan's sports editor. She is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism with a minor in sports and recreation management. Kenna previously worked as a sports reporter for men's wrestling and volleyball and was the summer sports editor in 2023. This is her second year with the DI.

Grace Smith, Senior photojournalist and filmmaker

she/her/hers

Grace Smith is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa double majoring in Journalism and Cinematic Arts. In her four years at The Daily Iowan, she has held the roles of photo editor, managing summer editor, and visual storyteller. Outside of The Daily Iowan, Grace has held an internship at The Denver Post and pursued freelance assignments for the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Des Moines Register.