ESPN names three Michigan stars as way-too-early All-Americans for 2024
The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a College Football Playoff National Championship victory and will have plenty of competition in trying to run it back next year. However, a trio of third-year players are expected to lead the way as potential All-Americans.
ESPN’s Chris Low put out a “way too early” All-American team for the 2024 season with tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson making the list as first teamers.
Loveland, a Gooding, Idaho native, was an All-Big Ten selection this past season as a first-team selection by the coaches and second-team from the media. He was a four-star prospect and the No. 268 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
“The 6-foot-5 Loveland bulked up to 245 pounds and emerged as a staple in the Wolverines’ offense on their way to the national championship,” Low wrote. “He finished third on the team with 45 catches, averaging 14.4 yards per catch, and hauled in four touchdown receptions while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. There will be several high-quality tight ends around the country in 2024, but Loveland’s skills as both a receiver and blocker pushed him to the top of the list.”
Graham made the most immediate impact of the 2022 recruiting class, earning a starting role in base packages as a freshman. The On3 Industry Ranking had Graham as a four-star prospect and the No. 298 player in the country coming out of high school at Servite in Anaheim, California.
“Graham was an integral piece of a Michigan defense that was the backbone of the Wolverines’ national championship team,” Low said. “He returns as one of the top interior defensive linemen in college football after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. The 6-3, 318-pound Graham played with a broken thumb through much of last season and was at his best in the postseason.”
Johnson was the crown jewel of Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class as a five-star prospect and the No. 11 player in the country. It did not take him long to flash what he is capable of, and rounded into true No. 1 cornerback form during the 2023 national title campaign, grabbing a huge interception just after halftime in the 34-13 win over Washington.
“In 2023, Johnson went from being one of the best freshmen in the country to one of the best cornerbacks in the country,” Low said. “He’s poised to be even better next season after earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors. Johnson (6-2, 202) has great size for a cornerback and didn’t give up any touchdowns in 321 coverage snaps. He was the defensive MVP in the national championship game.”
