IOWA CITY — Four University of Iowa football players — junior Cooper DeJean and seniors Sebastian Castro, Jay Higgins and Tory Taylor — have been voted All-America by The Associated Press.

DeJean and Taylor are first team honorees by the AP, Higgins is recognized on the second team, while Castro is a third team selection.

Iowa has had at least one AP first or second team All-American 10 straight seasons (2014-2023). The AP has been one of five outlets recognized by the NCAA to determine consensus All-Americans (Walter Camp, Associated Press, Sporting News, Football Wristers Association of America).

DeJean was one of top defensive players in the nation before going down with a season-ending injury on Nov. 15. The Odebolt native finished the season with 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and five pass break-ups in 10 games.

DeJean did not allow a touchdown pass in 388 snaps in coverage in 2023.

As a punt returner, DeJean was one of the nation’s best. He is second in the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally, averaging 11.5 yards per return.

Taylor, the 2023 Ray Guy Punter of the Year, broke Iowa’s single season punting yardage record for a third consecutive season. He has an NCAA-best 86 punts for 4,119 yards with his 47.9 average leading the Big Ten and ranking third nationally. Thirty-six of his punts have traveled 50 or more yards (six punts of 60), 27 have been fair caught, 30 have been downed inside the 20, 11 inside the 10 and six inside the 5.

Higgins has been a tackling machine for Iowa’s defense, racking up 155 tackles — the most in the Big Ten, the third-most nationally (most by a Power 5 player) and the fourth-most in a single season in school history.

Castro has been a menace in the “cash” position, amassing 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one sack and a team-best three interceptions. He had a 30-yard pick-six in Iowa’s road win at Iowa State and he had the game-sealing interception in the road win at Wisconsin.