Four Iowa State defensive players were a part of the Preseason All-Big 12 team, which was announced Tuesday.

Defensive end JaQuan Bailey, defensive tackle Ray Lima, linebacker Marcel Spears Jr. and safety Greg Eisworth were the four Iowa State players selected. Iowa State was tied for second with the most players selected to the team.

Bailey was Iowa State’s top edge player last season for the Cyclones and finished with 46 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, which earned him a Second Team All-Big 12 selection at the end of last season.

Lima was another Second Team All-Big 12 selection last season after finishing with 34 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Lima was a co-captain for the Cyclones and was an important piece on the interior of the defensive line by creating pressure on the offense up the middle.

Spears finished last season with 69 tackles and eight tackles for loss and was even able to create turnovers in the passing game with two interceptions at the linebacker position. Due to his on-field play, Spears was named an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection for the 2018 season.

Eisworth earned the most awards and buzz of any Cyclone defender in the Big 12 last season after being named to the First Team All-Big 12 Team and was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Eisworth led the team in tackles with 87 tackles while also registering a sack, an interception and five pass breakups.

The Cyclones were tied for second with Texas and TCU for the most selections with four, while Oklahoma had the most selections with six. The Sooners’ CeeDee Lamb was selected twice to the team for wide receiver and returner.

Oklahoma State was fifth with three selections while Texas Tech, Baylor and Kansas were tied for sixth with two selections each. Kansas State and West Virginia were tied for ninth with one selection each.

In addition, Texas’ quarterback Sam Ehlinger was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Preseason All-Big 12 Offense

QB – Sam Ehlinger, Texas (Preseason Offensive Player of the Year)

RB – Pooka Williams, Jr., Kansas

RB – Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma

RB – Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State

WR – CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma

WR – Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State

WR – Jalen Reagor, TCU

TE – Grant Calcaterra, Oklahoma

OL – Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma

OL – Lucas Niang, TCU

OL – Zach Shackelford, Texas

OL – Jack Anderson, Texas Tech

OL – Colton McKivitz, West Virginia

Preseason All-Big 12 Defense

DL – James Lynch, Baylor

DL – JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State

DL – Ray Lima, Iowa State

DL – Reggie Walker, Kansas State

DL – Corey Bethley, TCU

LB – Clay Johnston, Baylor

LB – Marcel Spears, Jr., Iowa State

LB – Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year)

DB – Greg Eisworth, Iowa State

DB – A.J. Green, Oklahoma State

DB – Jeff Gladney, TCU

DB – Caden Sterns, Texas

DB – Adrian Frye, Texas Tech

Preseason All-Big 12 Special Teams

KR/PR – CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma

PK – Cameron Dicker, Texas

P – Kyle Thompson, Kansas