Michigan DB Will Johnson named Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Michigan defensive back Will Johnson has been named the Big Ten Defensive Preseason Player of the Year, it was announced on Monday. Johnson was tabbed the top defensive player in the Big Ten, according to the Big Ten Network.

Johnson helped the Wolverines win the national title last season, earning first-team All-American honors in the process.

The Detroit native was also named first-team All-Big Ten in 2023 and was named the Defensive MVP of the national championship game.

Will Johnson appeared in 12 games in 2023, making 11 starts. He finished last season with 27 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and four interceptions.

As a freshman in 2022, Johnson appeared in 14 games, making five starts. That season, he recorded 27 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and three interceptions.

Prior to coming to Michigan, Johnson was ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 16 player in the country in the class of 2022, per the On3 Industry rankings. He opted to stay with the Wolverines despite there being a lot of staff turnover in Ann Arbor this past season, including head coach Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL.

Johnson’s father Deon also played for the Wolverines, helping Michigan to three Big Ten Championships from 1990-1994.

Dillon Gabriel named Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

While Will Johnson won the Big Ten Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, the offensive award went to an Oregon newcomer.

On Monday, the prestigious conference revealed its media named Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

After a standout season at Oklahoma, Gabriel transferred to Oregon this offseason. In the 2023 campaign, Gabriel tallied 266 completions, 3,660 passing yards and 30 touchdowns compared to only six interceptions. Additionally, Gabriel recorded 373 yards and 12 scores in the ground game.

For his efforts, Gabriel was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection, a Manning Award finalist and a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 10 Finalist. Evidently, the Big Ten media members expect Gabriel to add another piece of hardware to his collection in the upcoming season.

Gabriel has massive shoes to fill. Last season, Nix led Oregon to a 12-2 record and a 12-1 mark in conference play, the program’s best under head coach Dan Lanning. If the Ducks had defeated Washington in the Pac-12 Championship, they likely would have advanced to the College Football Playoff.

The 2024 season should be an exciting one for the Big Ten with plenty of new faces joining the league.