Newton's Caden Klein Wins Inaugural Cooper DeJean Award

Top Iowa high school football player honored for on-field talent and character.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:37am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a football player's celebration, with sharp planes of deep green, burnt orange, and royal blue overlapping to create a dynamic, energetic composition.The geometric abstraction of a football player's triumphant moment captures the spirit of an award honoring both athletic skill and strength of character.Newton Today

Caden Klein, a standout player from Newton High School, has been named the first-ever recipient of the Cooper DeJean Trophy, an award presented by the Iowa Football Coaches Association to recognize the state's top high school football player based on both athletic performance and strength of character.

Why it matters

The Cooper DeJean Award aims to celebrate not just athletic excellence, but also the leadership and positive impact that exceptional student-athletes can have on their communities. Klein's selection as the inaugural winner underscores the importance of developing well-rounded young people in addition to skilled players.

The details

The award was presented to Klein today in Ankeny by Cooper DeJean, the former Iowa high school football star and current college player for whom the trophy is named. The Iowa Football Coaches Association created the new award to honor the state's top high school football talent, considering not only on-field production but also character, leadership, and community involvement.

  • The award was presented on April 12, 2026.

The players

Caden Klein

A standout player from Newton High School who has been named the first-ever recipient of the Cooper DeJean Trophy, an award honoring Iowa's top high school football player.

Cooper DeJean

A former Iowa high school football star and current college player, for whom the new award is named.

Iowa Football Coaches Association

The organization that created the Cooper DeJean Trophy to recognize the state's top high school football talent based on both athletic performance and strength of character.

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What they’re saying

“Caden Klein embodies everything we want to see in a high school football player - talent, leadership, and character. He is a deserving first recipient of this award.”

— Cooper DeJean

The takeaway

The creation of the Cooper DeJean Trophy underscores the importance of developing well-rounded student-athletes who excel not just on the field, but also in their communities. Caden Klein's selection as the inaugural winner sets a high bar for future honorees to aspire to.