All-State Teams: Iowa Class 1A Defense

With the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/prep-redzone-iowa-2025-mr-football-elite-all-state/">Elite All-State Team</a> taken care of, we'll spend the month of December handing out Class All-State awards. Now, we move to the defensive side of the ball in 1A.   In writing these articles, we want to cast a wider net, expanding on the names that have already been established as the best of the best across classes, so we won't repeat names that were already listed on the Elite Team.   DEFENSIVE LINE   Julien Kramer, SR, Beckman Catholic   The only prospect in 1A to finish the year with double-digit sacks, Kramer totaled ten through the season as the top pass-rusher in his class. He finished with 32 tackles and 15.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), too. Pairing with his sophomore brother, [player_tooltip player_id='1601659' first='Jude' last='Kramer'], who finished the season with 11 TFLs and 8.5 sacks, Beckman Catholic had quite the duo on its defensive front.   Carson Mueggenberg, SR, Ogden   Another DL that had some help getting into the backfield this season, Mueggenberg led a ferocious pass-rush for the Bulldogs of Ogden. He led his squad with nine sacks, along with 21 TFLs. He, [player_tooltip player_id='1241534' first='Cayden' last='Dudley'] and Landon Alexander paired for 174 tackles and 23 sacks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1238539' first='Ben' last='Meyer'], SR, West Lyon   An absolute terror against Iowa City Regina in the state championship game, the senior and Sioux Falls commit registered seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks against one of the top offenses in all of Iowa. An athlete, especially for his size, Meyer kept offensive coordinators up at night throughout the season, finishing with 53.5 tackles, 15 TFLs and seven sacks.   [player_tooltip player_id='2044013' first='Will' last='Litton'], JR, Iowa City Regina   Litton wasn't the star of the pass rush for the Regals this season, as [player_tooltip player_id='466364' first='Tate' last='Wallace'] found a spot on the Elite All-State Team. But, he was as impactful as any defensive end in the class, finishing with 37.5 tackles, including 12.5 TFLs and five sacks. Part of the Regina crew that was absolutely swarming after all QBs this season, Litton has begun to emerge as a Division I prospect, especially given his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame paired with athleticism.   LINEBACKER   [player_tooltip player_id='1941007' first='Zane' last='Mullenix'], JR, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont   It's difficult to imagine what EBF would've been like without Mullenix on the roster. The class's leading tackler with 102.5, including 12 TFLs and three sacks, Mullenix played like his hair was on fire for the Rockets on defense, adding four forced fumbles. He also led his team in rushing with 140 attempts for 1,058 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned a spot on the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-1a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 1A</a> team in early October.   [player_tooltip player_id='1248124' first='Lane' last='Mitchell'], SR, Lawton-Bronson   No. 2 in Class 1A in tackles, Mitchell was the only other prospect to reach 100 tackles in the class, finishing with 100.5. That includes 13.5 TFLs for the northwest Iowa product. Like Mullenix, he had an impact on the offensive side of the ball, too, taking 73 carries for 235 yards and seven touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='2079349' first='Gabe' last='King'], JR, East Sac   Coming in at No. 3 in tackles is King, one of just three players in 1A to surpass 90 tackles, as he finished with 94. He added 8.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He led his team by more than 30 tackles this season, and he was the 1A leader in solo tackles, finishing with 81.   DEFENSIVE BACK   [player_tooltip player_id='1657093' first='Drew' last='Greve'], SR, Iowa City Regina   The second Regal on the list, Greve led 1A in interceptions nearly from start to finish, totaling eight for the Regals this season. A little undersized at 6-foot and 165 pounds, Greve made up for it with excellent eyes and instincts, reading the quarterback and seemingly knowing exactly where it was going, plus top-tier ball-skills. The program that gets Greve will be very happy.   [player_tooltip player_id='1614184' first='Judd' last='Jirovsky'], SR, Grundy Center   One of the greatest prep athletes the state has ever seen, Jirovsky has been all-state caliber in basketball, baseball, track and golf in his time with Grunder Center. Playing quarterback and defensive back for the Spartans, Jirovsky was <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-more-two-way-wonders-iowa-standouts-on-offense-and-defense/">one of the top two-way players in the state</a> again this season, finishing with 31 tackles, six interceptions and eight pass-breakups (PBUs) for GC.   [player_tooltip player_id='2079352' first='Tate' last='Ries'], JR, Beckman Catholic   The only player in Class 1A with more than one pick-six this season, Ries finished with two on behalf of the Trailblazers. He finished with five interceptions this season for Beckman Catholic, just surpassing his teammate and senior DB, Carter White, for all-state honors, as the senior totaled six interceptions.   Cauy Konz, SR, Treynor   One of four DBs with six interceptions this season, Cauy Konz doubled his pickoff numbers from his junior to senior season adding 21.5 tackles. A speedster on the track with a state champion 200-meter time of 21.7 seconds, Konz used that speed to serve as a rangy DB that could sneak up on pass-catchers and nab the ball away.

With the Elite All-State Team taken care of, we'll spend the month of December handing out Class All-State awards. Now, we move to the defensive side of the ball in 1A.