The Des Moines Register has released its 2026 preseason All‑Iowa football teams, a roster of 78 elite high school players divided into First, Second and Third Teams. The selections, announced ahead of the December debut, celebrate the state’s top prospects before the upcoming season.
How the Teams Were Chosen
Writers from the Register, alongside contributors from the Iowa City Press‑Citizen and the Ames Tribune, joined forces with coaches representing every corner of Iowa to compile the lists. Their combined expertise ensured that talent from Class 5A through the 8‑player division received its due recognition.
The First Team, comprising 26 standout athletes, features quarterbacks Mack Heitland of Waukee Northwest, Isaiah Hansen from Newton and Christian Williams of Van Meter. Defensive standouts such as Braylon Bingham of Pleasantville, Cole Jeppesen of Riverside and Jeremiah Roberson from Dowling also earned first‑team honors, alongside linebackers Nick Milburn of Newton, Gavin Stecker of Bettendorf and Tate Wallace of Regina.
Second Team selections include quarterbacks Nolan Kriegel of Iowa Valley and Jayden Stephens from Waverly‑Shell Rock, while offensive linemen like Carter Barrett of Dowling and Logan Miller of North Linn secured spots on the second squad. Defensive linemen such as Eaghan Fleshman of Alburnett and Lucas Feuerbach of Solon, plus linebacker Nick Milburn, add depth to the second‑team roster.
The Third Team highlights quarterbacks Cash Parks of Xavier and Aiden Kjergaard from Audubon, along with linemen Carter Barrett, James Barnett of Iowa City West and Grant Whitcomb of Bishop Heelan. Special teams contributors Gabriel Hegelheimer of Regina and JP Elbert of Wahlert Catholic round out the special‑teams portion of the listings.
Spanning the state’s diverse classifications, the teams showcase talent from the largest schools to smaller programs, underscoring the breadth of football excellence in Iowa. The honorees will be featured in an upcoming Register special report, with recruiting reporter Alyssa Hertel available for further inquiries.