Four Michigan Wolverines named AP All-Americans, including two first-teamers

Michigan Wolverines football players continue to rack up accolades following the team’s 12-1 regular season and Big Ten championship run. The Associated Press released its All-American teams for the 2021 campaign, with four Wolverines making an appearance, including first-team nods for junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and junior kicker Jake Moody. Redshirt freshman outside linebacker David Ojabo and redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins were tabbed to the second and third team, respectively.

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Michigan’s two first-team honorees are tied with Georgia, Oregon and Texas A&M for the second-most out of any school, behind Alabama (three). The Wolverines’ pair make up two of the Big Ten’s five first-team standouts.

Hutchinson and Moody became are the first Michigan players to receive first-team All-America recognition since linebacker Devin Bush Jr. in 2018. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has seen seven of his Michigan players receive nine first-team nods during his seven-year tenure. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis and tight end Jake Butt were honored in both 2015 and 2016, before defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was tabbed in 2017. Bush was a Consensus All-American but was selected to the second team by the AP.

Hutchinson registered 58 total tackles, 15.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, a team-high 12 quarterback hurries and three pass breakups to go along with his Michigan single-season record 14.0 sacks (third nationally). He recorded 3.0 sacks against Ohio State and added another in the Big Ten title game against Iowa, and his 15 pressures against the Buckeyes are the most by any player since Pro Football Focus (PFF) began tracking college games in 2014.

The Plymouth, Mich., native finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the Lombardi Award winner for the country’s best lineman or linebacker and took home the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, which honors the Big Ten’s best player regardless of position.

Michigan’s first-ever Lous Groza Award winner (nation’s top placekicker), Moody has accumulated 122 total points, the second-highest total in a single season in Michigan history. With 16 more points, Moody will tie wide receiver Desmond Howard (1991) for the single-season record. He has reached that total by converting on 22 of 24 field goal attempts, and all 56 extra points.

The Big Ten Kicker of the Year ranks among the top six in Michigan’s single-season record book for field goals scored (22, second) and field goals attempted (24, tied for sixth). His 56 extra points are also a Michigan season record.

Moody is second in the Big Ten and eighth nationally in field goals per game (1.69). With 122 points this season, Moody is fourth in the Big Ten and 13th in the NCAA in scoring (9.4 avg.). The Northville, Mich., native has 16 made field goals at or beyond 30 yards, tied for the most in the FBS. His 91.7 percent field goal conversion rate is the highest among FBS kickers with at least 20 made field goals and a long of 50-plus yards; lists second in the league and eighth overall in the NCAA in field-goal percentage.

A consensus first-team All-Big Ten performer, Ojabo has contributed 35 tackles (24 solo), 11.0 sacks among them, in his first year as a starting player (seven starts, all in 2021). He has generated 86 yards for loss with those sacks, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history.

Ojabo and Hutchinson are the first pair in Michigan history to both reach double-digit sack totals in the same season. No pair of teammates in Michigan history, or in the NCAA this season, have matched the duo’s 24-sack total.

A consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection, Haskins’ 1,288 rushing yards represent the most by a Michigan running back since his position coach Mike Hart, who reached that rushing total or better in three seasons. His 20 rushing touchdowns stand as the most by any runner in program history.

Haskins is tied as the second-highest graded running back in the FBS (91.7, minimum 50 carries) by PFF. The service credits Haskins with 101 runs resulting in a first down (No. 1 FBS) and 52 missed tackles forced.

2021 Associated Press All-America Teams

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Bryce Young, sophomore, Alabama.

Running backs — Kenneth Walker III, junior, Michigan State; Breece Hall, junior, Iowa State.

Tackles — Ikem Ekwonu, junior, North Carolina State; Darian Kinnard, senior, Kentucky.

Guards — Kenyon Green, junior, Texas A&M; Zion Johnson, senior, Boston College.

Center — Tyler Linderbaum, junior, Iowa.

Tight end — Trey McBride, senior, Colorado State.

Receivers — Jordan Addison, sophomore, Pittsburgh; David Bell, junior, Purdue; Jameson Williams, junior, Alabama.

All-purpose player — Deuce Vaughn, sophomore, Kansas State.

Kicker — Jake Moody, senior, Michigan.

DEFENSE

Edge rushers — Aidan Hutchinson, senior, Michigan; Kayvon Thibodeaux, junior, Oregon.

Linemen — Jordan Davis, senior, Georgia; DeMarvin Leal, junior, Texas A&M.

Linebackers — Will Anderson, Jr., sophomore, Alabama; Nakobe Dean, junior, Georgia; Devin Lloyd, junior, Utah.

Cornerbacks — Ahmad Gardner, junior, Cincinnati; Roger McCreary, senior, Auburn.

Safeties — Verone McKinley III, sophomore, Oregon; Jalen Pitre, senior, Baylor.

Defensive back — Marcus Jones, senior, Houston.

Punter — Matt Araiza, junior, San Diego State.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Kenny Pickett, senior, Pittsburgh.

Running backs — Sean Tucker, sophomore, Syracuse; Tyler Badie, senior, Missouri.

Tackles — Evan Neal, junior, Alabama; Nicholas Petit-Frere, junior, Ohio State.

Guards — Thayer Munford, senior, Ohio State; William Dunkle, junior, San Diego State.

Center — Alec Lindstrom, senior, Boston College.

Tight end — Brock Bowers, freshman, Georgia.

Receivers — Chris Olave, senior, Ohio State; Garrett Wilson, junior, Ohio State; Jerreth Sterns, junior, Western Kentucky.

All-purpose player — Jahmyr Gibbs, sophomore, Georgia Tech.

Kicker —Noah Ruggles, senior, Ohio State.

DEFENSE

Edge rushers —Jermaine Johnson, senior, Florida State; Cameron Thomas, junior, San Diego State.

Linemen — Devonte Wyatt, senior, Georgia; Haskell Garrett, senior, Ohio State.

Linebackers — Malcolm Rodriguez, senior, Oklahoma State; Leo Chenal, junior, Wisconsin; David Ojabo, junior, Michigan.

Cornerbacks — Coby Bryant, senior, Cincinnati; Ja’Quan McMillian, junior, East Carolina.

Safeties —Jaquan Brisker, senior, Penn State; Kyle Hamilton, junior, Notre Dame.

Defensive back — JoJo Domann, senior, Nebraska.

Punter — Adam Korsak, senior, Rutgers.

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — C.J. Stroud, redshirt freshman, Ohio State.

Running backs — Hassan Haskins, senior, Michigan; Sincere McCormick, junior, UTSA.

Tackles — Connor Galvin, senior, Baylor, Max Mitchell, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette.

Guards —Andrew Vorhees, senior, Southern California; Josh Seltzner, senior, Wisconsin.

Center — Michael Maietti, senior, Missouri.

Tight end — Michael Mayer, sophomore, Notre Dame.

Receivers — Drake London, junior, Southern California; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, sophomore, Ohio State; Jahan Dotson, senior, Penn State.

All-purpose player — Deven Thompkins, senior, Utah State.

Kicker — Caleb Shudak, senior, Iowa.

DEFENSE

Edge rushers — Will McDonald IV, junior, Iowa State; Sam Williams, senior, Mississippi.

Linemen — Calijah Kancey, sophomore, Pittsburgh; George Karlaftis, junior, Purdue.

Linebackers — Chad Muma, senior, Wyoming; Nik Bonitto, junior, Oklahoma; Andre Carter II, junior, Army.

Cornerbacks — Riley Moss, senior, Iowa; Trent McDuffie, junior, Washington.

Safeties — Jordan Battle, junior, Alabama; Lewis Cine, junior, Georgia.

Defensive back — Kolby Harvell-Peel, senior, Oklahoma State.

Punter —Jordan Stout, senior, Penn State.