At the end of the 2023 season, Iowa football’s Jay Higgins and Sebastian Castro were named second and third-team All-Americans, respectively, by the Associated Press. Yet just a matter of months later, after each player bypassed an NFL future for another year with the Hawkeyes, the defensive duo received a boost in recognition. In the 2024 preseason Associated Press All-American squads, Higgins adorns the first-team linebacker spot while Castro sits on the second-team at cornerback. 

Higgins and Castro were key cogs to an Iowa defense that finished seventh in the FBS in opponent yards per game last season. Hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, Higgins turned heads during his first full season as a starter, amassed 171 tackles – topping the Big Ten, ranking third in the nation, and tying a school record. He joins LSU third-year Harold Perkins Jr. and Clemson fourth-year Barrett Carter as first-team linebackers. Higgins is Iowa’s first preseason Associated Press first-team All-American at linebacker since Jack Campbell in 2022. 

Castro also had a breakout season in 2023, starting 13 games and snagging a team-best three interceptions to go along with eight pass break-ups. Hawkeye fans remember an Oct. 14 game against Wisconsin, where Castro pounded the Badgers with seven tackles, two pass defenses, and an interception, as Iowa pulled away with a 15-6 road victory. He starts alongside Notre Dame third-year Benjamin Morrison on the All-American second team. 

Other 2024 preseason honors for Higgins and Castro include the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award watch lists. Each prize is designated to the best defensive player in college football, voted on by different committees. 

The Iowa Hawkeyes open the 2024 season with a home matchup against Illinois State on Aug. 31.