Cincinnati Bearcats defensive lineman Dontay Corleone (2) rushes the quarterback as West Virginia Mountaineers offensive lineman Zach Frazier (54) blocks in the first quarter during an NCAA college football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the West Virginia Mountaineers, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va. Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cincinnati's Dontay Corleone, Joe Royer Named to 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bearcats on SI
By Russell Heltman | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 3:03 PM ET

A pair of Bearcats football players are expected to have stellar seasons this coming fall. The Big 12 announced Joe Royer and Dontay Corleone as preseason All-Big 12 selections on Monday.

Corleone is coming off another consistent season as a mauler, despite a 2024 summer dealing with blood clots. He made an all-conference team for the third straight campaign, earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors. The Godfather totaled 26 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks last fall.

Meanwhile, Royer set the Bearcats' record by a tight end with 50 catches and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors for the feat (50 catches for 521 yards and three touchdowns last season). Both are key pillars of the program on opposite sides of the ball.