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Iowa State lands four on 2019 Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Sports

July 10th, 2019 by admin

IRVING, Texas – Four Iowa State defensive players – JaQuan Bailey (DE), Ray Lima (DL), Greg Eisworth (S) and Marcel Spears Jr. (LB) – made the 2019 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, announced today by the Big 12 Conference.

The team was chosen by media representatives who cover the league.

Iowa State’s four representatives on the team ties for second behind Oklahoma’s five.

Bailey is one of the greatest defensive ends in school history. The two-time All-Big 12 selection, including a second-teamer in 2018, is currently tied with Shawn Moorehead for the most career sacks in Iowa State history (18.5). His 18.5 career sacks ranks third among active NCAA FBS players.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Bailey has started the last 33 games in his Cyclone career. His 31.5 career TFL ranks fifth in school history and is 2.5 shy from the school record.

In 2018, Bailey led the team and ranked fourth in the Big 12 in sacks (8.0), the third-best season total in school history. He also led the team in TFL, registering the ninth-best season total in the Cyclone record book at 14.5.

Lima has been one of the key cogs in Iowa State’s resurgence on defense the past two seasons as one of the best run-stoppers in the nation.

The Los Angeles, Calif., native is a two-time All-Big 12 selection and was a first-team all-league choice by ESPN in 2018.

The 2018 co-captain has started 21 games and recorded 59 tackles and 8.0 TFL in his career.

Eisworth, a native of Grand Prairie, Texas, had and outstanding debut season for the Cyclones in 2018, earning Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the year accolades and First-Team All-Big 12 recognition.

Eisworth started 12 games and led the Cyclones in tackles per game (7.2) to rank eighth in the Big 12.

He led the team in tackles in five of 12 games played and registered 4.0 TFL, an interception and two forced fumbles.

Spears has started every game of the last two seasons, earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades in 2017 and 2018.

A native of Olathe, Kan., Spears enters his senior season with 180 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks and four interceptions in his career. Three times in his career he’s been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

Spears is one of three active FBS linebackers with two pick-sixes in his career. He also has four career double-digit tackle games and two of his interceptions have sealed victories for the Cyclones in the fourth quarter.

Full team here: Big 12 Preseason Team