Four Iowa Football Players Named Phil Steele All-Americans

Duncan, Jackson, Linderbaum and Smith-Marsette are honored on teams, and join four other Hawkeyes on All-Big Ten list.

Four Iowa football players were honored on the preseason Phil Steele All-America teams, released Tuesday.

Senior kicker Keith Duncan, senior offensive tackle Alaric Jackson, sophomore center Tyler Linderbaum, and senior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette were honored on the teams.

Duncan was a first-team All-American, while Jackson, Linderbaum, and Smith-Marsette were named to the third team. Smith-Marsette was named as a return specialist.

Duncan and Jackson were also first-team All-Big Ten selections. Smith-Marsette and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Nico Ragaini were also named to the Big Ten first team as return specialists.

Linderbaum and senior defensive end Chauncey Golston were named to the preseason all-conference second team. Senior defensive back Matt Hankins and sophomore running back Tyler Goodson were named to the third team.

Duncan was a consensus All-American in 2019, earning five first-team honors and two second-team selections. Duncan led the nation with 29 made field goals to set the Iowa and Big Ten single-season record, and his total ranks sixth all-time in NCAA history.

Duncan made three or more field goals in five games, with four in wins over Iowa State and Purdue.

Duncan was the Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year in the Big Ten, one of three Lou Groza Award finalists, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media, and an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Jackson started at left tackle in 10 games last season, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors by Phil Steele and third-team All-Big Ten honors by league coaches and media. He missed three games to injury. Jackson, a Detroit, Michigan, native, was named to Iowa’s 2020 Leadership Group earlier this summer and was a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Athlon Sports.

Smith-Marsette led Iowa in receiving yards and touchdown receptions, while ranking second on the team in receptions. Smith-Marsette led the Big Ten and ranked fourth in the nation with a 29.6-yard kickoff return average on 17 returns last season.

In Iowa’s Holiday Bowl win over USC, Smith-Marsette became only the second player in school history to score a receiving, rushing, and kickoff return touchdown in the same game. He won the game's Offensive Most Valuable Player award.

Smith-Marsette earlier was named a preseason first-team All-Big Ten return specialist and a fourth-team All-Big Ten wide receiver by Athlon Sports.

Ragaini averaged 10.7 yards on nine punt returns in 2019, earning first-team All-Big Ten punt-return specialist honors by Phil Steele. 

Linderbaum started all 13 games at center in 2019 to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors by league coaches and media. He was named to Iowa’s 2020 Leadership Group and to Athlon Sports’ preseason first-team All-Big Ten team.

Golston, who was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List earlier this summer, started all 13 games at defensive end last season, with 47 tackles, including 26 solo stops and 21 assists. He had 9 1/2 tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception, five pass break-ups and seven pressures. Golston led the Big Ten and ranked sixth nationally with three fumble recoveries.

Goodson became the first freshman ever to lead Iowa in rushing last season. He rushed 134 times for 638 yards and five touchdowns, adding recording 24 receptions for 166 yards.

Hankins started 10 games last season. He ranked fifth on the team with 58 tackles and was second with two interceptions and seven pass break-ups.