Four Iowa Defenders Earn All-B1G Honors

Defense is something the Iowa Hawkeyes have taken seriously for quite some time. In the Kirk Ferentz Iowa, defense is the last thing to be taken lightly. Each and every year, the Hawkeyes continue to out-do themselves, something that seems impossible.

Ferentz has built a program that treats defense with as much respect as the offense. It's hurt the team in past years as their offense hasn't been able to guide them to victory, but their defense continually keeps them in games. That was seen in their four losses this season which came by a combined 15 points.

All B1G Second Team

All-B1G Defense ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/eFNot0kgmU
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) December 3, 2025

On the defensive side, a pair of players made second team. While nine in total were named All B1G, the two that stood out the most were defensive lineman Aaron Graves and defensive back Zach Lutmer.

For what it's worth, Lutmer was voted second team by Big Ten Coaches, but media voted him to the third team. Graves earned second team honors from both the coaches and media. At the end of the day, Graves and Lutmer were absolutely two key names who held their ground for Iowa.

Graves finished his senior season tying his career high of 36 total tackles. He had 17 solo tackles which matched the career high he set last season. Graves finished with five sacks, but also recorded the first, and only interception of his career.

Lutmer is just a sophomore which is telling as to how good this Hawkeyes defense will continue to be. He ended the year with 68 tackles, a number that put him fourth on the team. That said, the gap between first and fourth was smaller than the gap between fourth and fifth.

All B1G Third Team

Lowest passer rating when targeted, Big Ten CBs in 2025:

Jadon Canady, Oregon: 37.3
D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana: 40.5
Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon: 41.6
Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State: 42.4
TJ Hall, Iowa: 51.0
Tacario Davis, Washington: 52.5
Scooter Jackson, UCLA: 53.3
Jermaine Mathews… pic.twitter.com/K5tI87Kwxt
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) December 3, 2025

Defensive backs TJ Hall and Xavier Nwankpa both found themselves named to the third team. Nwankpa was in a similar situation as Lutmer as the coaches voted him to the third team but the media named him an honorable mention.

Hall put up his best career numbers as a senior. In fact, he had more total tackles this year than he did in his first three seasons combined. With an interception and eight passes defended, Hall established himself as a difference maker on this defense.

Nwankpa ended the year tied for second on the team with 69 total tackles. He forced two fumbles and finished with an interception to complete a stellar career for the Iowa native.

Honorable Mentions

In the end, five Hawkeyes were named honorable mentions. Those names include: Linebacker Karson Sharar, defensive backs Koen Entringer and Deshaun Lee, along with defensive lineman Max Llewellyn and Jonah Pace.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!