Jack Campbell, Riley Moss Named to Nagurski Watch List

Hawkeye Seniors Up for National Defensive Player of Year Trophy

Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell speaks with reporters on June 23, 2022 at the Hawkeye Football Complex in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior linebacker Jack Campbell and senior defensive back Riley Moss have been named to the 2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List.

Presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football. Former Hawkeye linebackers Josey Jewell (2017) and Pat Angerer (2009) were finalists for the award.

Campbell (6-5, 246 pounds) was a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Phil Steele in 2021. In addition, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was second in the Big Ten with 143 tackles – the fifth-most ever in a single season at Iowa. He earned Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors following a career-best performance with 18 tackles in Iowa’s 24-14 win over Colorado State. A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Campbell was the recipient of Iowa’s Roy Carver Most Valuable Player (Defense) award last season and served as a permanent team captain.

Campbell has also been named to the Athlon Sports 2022 preseason All-Big Ten First Team, as well as earning preseason first-team All-America accolades by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports, and Sporting News.

Moss (6-1, 193 pounds) was a first-team All-America selection by Sporting News a season ago and was voted the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. Additionally, Moss was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by both league coaches and media. The Ankeny, Iowa, native was a recipient of Iowa’s Team Hustle Award and is second all-time at Iowa in career interception return yards (239). Moss is one of three players in program history with three interception return touchdowns.

Moss has been named to the Athlon Sports 2022 preseason All-Big Ten First Team. He was selected to both the Athlon Sports and Phil Steele’s preseason All-America First Teams. Moss was recently named to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award watch list.

The award is named after Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski and his legendary talents. He was a consensus All-American defensive tackle in 1929 and also an All-American fullback in 1929, becoming the only player ever picked at two positions in the same season.

The Hawkeyes open the season with three straight nonconference home games, each featuring a different start time. The season-opener, Sept. 3, against South Dakota State is slated for an 11 a.m. kickoff. The annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series game against Iowa State will follow on Sept. 10, with a 3 p.m. start time. Iowa’s final nonconference contest is an evening contest against Nevada beginning at 6:30 p.m.