Three Michigan football standouts named preseason first-team All-American by Associated Press
The Big Ten has eight preseason first-team All-Americans on the Associated Press‘ list, second only to the SEC’s 10. Three hail from Michigan Wolverines football, all members of the junior class in defensive tackle Mason Graham, cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland.
Ohio State led the way with four first-team selections, while Michigan and Georgia were tied second with three. Alabama, Notre Dame and LSU had two first-team honorees.
Graham was listed by PFF as the top interior defensive lineman in the country. The 6-foot-3, 318-pounder enjoyed a breakout season last year, earning second-team All-American honors from Sporting News and first-team All-Big Ten recognition from the coaches. He was also the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl. Graham posted 35 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 3 sacks on the year.
Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito raved about the impact Graham and position mate Kenneth Grant, also a junior, have on the defense.
“They can affect the games in so many different ways that never show up — batted balls, running to the football,” Esposito said on the ‘In The Trenches’ podcast. “Those are the things that I’ve been trying to get those guys to do all the time.”
A former five-star prospect, Johnson was a lockdown cornerback for Michigan in 2023. He was a first-team All-American (Sports Illustrated) and consensus first-team All-Big Ten performer, registering 27 tackles and 4 interceptions. Johnson played at less-than-100-percent health for the majority of the season, too.
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Head coach Sherrone Moore said this month that Johnson’s physicality has stood out.
“I haven’t been around many corners that are as violent in the run game and as violent in the pass game,” Moore said. “The dude was coming off the edge the other day and playing contain, and it felt like a linebacker doing that. For a corner to do that, it’s very, very rare.”
Loveland, a 6-foot-5, 245-pounder out of Gooding, Idaho, recorded 649 receiving yards last season, the most by a Michigan tight end in a campaign since two-time All-American Jake Butt registered 654 in 2015. He was tabbed as first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and second-team by the media. He added 4 touchdowns on 45 receptions. PFF named him the top returning tight end in the nation.
Michigan tight ends coach Steve Casula said this week that Loveland is impressing, and that he wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up leading the team in receiving.
“I think that could certainly happen,” Casula said. “Cole’s been exceptional. He’s exceptional in his desire to get better.”
