Michigan football has most Lindy's first-team preseason All-Americans of any school
Lindy’s released their college football preview magazine, which includes first- and second-team All-America lists. Michigan Wolverines football has three players appear — all three on the first team, more than any other school in the nation.
Ohio State (5), Georgia (5), Alabama (5) and Notre Dame (4) have preseason All-Americans. However, Michigan’s three first-teamers are the most. Only five other programs — Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame and LSU — possess multiple first-team preseason All-Americans with two.
The Wolverines are one of six Big Ten schools to have at least one player named preseason All-American. They’re joined by Ohio State (5), Oregon (2), Iowa (1), Minnesota (1) and USC (1).
Michigan’s representatives are a trio of juniors — tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson.
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 added 4 touchdowns on 45 receptions. PFF named him the top returning tight end in the nation. He was tabbed as first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and second-team by the media.
Michigan tight ends coach Steve Casula said this spring that Loveland is working to have a ‘400-level’ understanding of the position.
“He wants to be coached, and he’s fun to coach,” Casula said. “He’s super into football. Obviously, he’s unbelievably gifted, but he works and earns that every single day.”
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Graham was listed by PFF as the top interior defensive lineman in the country, and Johnson holds the top spot among cornerbacks. 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.
“Mason is a guy where you can see he was a high school wrestler,” Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito said this spring. “He plays with great leverage, he understands the transfer of weight and he understands his hands and he’s just getting better and better and better.”
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.
“The dude just cares about his teammates,” Michigan defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator LaMar Morgan said during spring ball. “He’s very genuine, he always wants to learn, he always wants to coach each other. I learn a lot from him. You’ve got a new coach coming here and asking you to change some techniques, he’s open. He’s just a very unique player, man.
