3 Michigan football players earn Big Ten preseason honors

It’s not easy to get selected for the Big Ten football preseason honors. Only 12 players are picked across the league, regardless of position and three Michigan football players made the cut.

Big Ten Media Days open on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Michigan football will be among the teams meeting with the media on Thursday, but the Big Ten Media released its preseason poll on Monday, which pegged the Wolverines fourth in the conference this season.

Your first look at the 2024 @bigten preseason honorees #B1GFootball x #B1GMediaDays pic.twitter.com/FZVO5CZcKI

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) July 23, 2024

Will Johnson was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Michigan football was also predicted to make the College Football Playoff by 52 percent of the voters, which ranked fourth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (100 percent), Oregon (100 percent), and Penn State (64 percent).

Trio of Michigan football defenders earn Big Ten preseason honors

The Big Ten preseason honors are another annual thing and Michigan football finished second among selections behind Ohio State (four). Michigan had two defenders make the list — Will Johnson and Mason Graham. Tight end Colston Loveland was also honored.

All three are juniors and each is expected to be a first-round pick. Kenneth Grant is another dude who could have earned Big Ten preseason honors. He doesn’t get the recognition but he’s not far behind Graham as the best defensive tackle in the Big Ten.

TreVeyon Henderson, Caleb Downs, Emeka Egbuka, and JT Tuimoloau were the four selections for Ohio State. Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter also made the team, as did Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai and Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins.

Oregon was the only other team to have multiple players picked as quarterback Dillon Gabriel is the only quarterback on the team, while wideout Tez Johnson joins him.

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