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TIMES-REPUBLICAN
IOWA CITY -- University of Iowa fourth-year offensive linemen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper have been named to the 2026 Lombardi Award Watch List, it was announced Tuesday.
The Lombardi Award is presented annually to the college football lineman or linebacker who best embodies the values and spirit of legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi: character, discipline, and excellence both on and off the field.
Pieper (6-foot-3, 301 pounds), a 2026 Walter Camp, Sporting News, and Athlon preseason first-team All-American, started all 13 games at guard in 2025. He is coming off a breakout redshirt sophomore campaign where he earned Pro Football Focus first-team All-America and third-team All-Big Ten accolades.
Lauck (6-6, 308) an Athlon preseason second-team All-American, is one of six juniors serving on the team's 2026 Leadership Council. The Indianapolis native started all 13 games at left tackle in 2025, earning third-team all-Big Ten honors.
Pieper and Lauck helped to anchor an Iowa offensive line that claimed the prestigious Joe Moore Award in 2025 as the nation's top offensive line unit. Behind the front five, the Hawkeyes outrushed their opponents in nine of 13 contests, while the protection unit allowed an average time-to-pressure of just 2.8 seconds, ranking fifth nationally.
The Lombardi Award winner will be announced in December following a vote by a national selection committee.