Six members of the University of Cincinnati football team were named to All-Big 12 squads by Phil Steele this week.
Tight end Joe Royer, offensive lineman Luke Kandra, and defensive lineman Dontay Corleone were all placed on the first team. Linebacker Jared Bartlett earned a spot on the second team, while running back Corey Kiner and punter Mason Fletcher were named to the third team.
UC was one of three teams to have a first-team selection on both offensive and defense, with Colorado and West Virginia being the others.
Corleone missed three months of full-contact practice after being diagnosed with blood clots over the summer. He returned to action Week 2 and went on to start the final 11 games of the season. Facing near constant double teams, he anchored Cincinnati's new 3-3-5 defense, totaling 26 tackles, 5.0 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. Corleone has totaled 109 tackles, 17 TFLs and 9.5 sacks over 34 career games.
Kandra was the Big 12's highest-rated right guard by Pro Football Focus for the second straight season. He led a Bearcats offense that ranked sixth in the league in total offense (420.6) and paved the way for running back Corey Kiner to rush for a second consecutive 1,000-yard season.
Royer broke Travis Kelce's 12-year-old school record for single-season receptions by a tight end. He led all Big 12 tight ends with 50 catches and tallied 521 yards and three touchdowns.
An honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, Bartlett was a disruptive force who ranked among the league leaders in sacks (7.5, T-2nd), and tackles for loss (11.5, T-4th). He led UC in both categories as well as tackles (69) while starting eight games. Bartlett had at least one TFL in nine of 12 games this year and had a stretch of five straight games in which he recorded a sack.
Kiner recently wrapped his collegiate career with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. His 1,153 rushing yards brought his career total at UC to 2,562, which puts him eighth all-time in program history in career rushing. He had six 100-yard rushing games in 2024 and 13 total as a Bearcat, which ranks fifth in school history.
Fletcher also ended his college football career in 2024 with another strong campaign, averaging 42.6 yards per punt this past season while booting nine punts of at least 50 yards and placing nine inside the 20-yard line. He ends his career ranking second all-time in program history in career punt average (44.0) and fifth all-time in career punting yards (8,747).
