Four new teams and a transfer portal in overdrive provided the Big Ten with an infusion of new talent.
USA TODAY Sports Network's' preseason Player of the Year has never played a snap in the league. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel was a unanimous choice for Player of the Year and Ohio State's Ryan Day edged out Oregon's Dan Lanning for our Coach of the Year pick ahead of this week's Big Ten media days in Indianapolis.
More: Big Ten football 2024 preseason media poll: It's Bucks and Ducks
Gabriel was one of two unanimous picks to the All-Big Ten team, with Ohio State WR Emeka Ogbuka also appearing on all 14 ballots. Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson, Michigan DB Will Johnson, Iowa LB Jay Higgins, Michigan DL Mason Graham, Michigan State P Ryan Eckley, Michigan State and Minnesota K Dragan Kesich were near-unanimous picks, appearing on 13 of 14 ballots.
Here is the rest of the 2024 preseason All-Big Ten team as determined by 14 beat writers who cover the league for USA TODAY Sports Network.
OFFENSE
- Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon*
- Running back: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
- Running back: Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
- Wide receiver: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State*
- Wide receiver: Tez Johnson, Oregon
- Tight end: Colston Loveland, Michigan
- Offensive line: Logan Jones, Iowa
- Offensive line: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
- Offensive line: Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
- Offensive line: Josh Priebe, Michigan
- Offensive line: Sal Wormley, Penn State
- Also receiving votes: RB: Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State; Donovan Edwards, Michigan; Nick Singleton, Penn State; Darius Taylor, Minnesota; WR: Evan Stewart, Oregon; Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State; TE: Luke Lachey, Iowa; Terrance Ferguson, Oregon; Tyler Warren, Penn State; OL: Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon; Ajani Cornelius, Oregon; Jonah Monheim, USC, Matthew Bedford, Oregon; Josh Fryar, Ohio State; Connor Colby, Iowa; Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
DEFENSE
- Defensive line: Mason Graham, Michigan
- Defensive line: J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State
- Defensive line: Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
- Defensive line: Abdul Carter, Penn State
- Linebacker: Jay Higgins, Iowa
- Linebacker: Nick Jackson, Iowa
- Linebacker: Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
- Defensive back: Will Johnson, Michigan
- Defensive back: Denzel Burke, Ohio State
- Defensive back: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
- Defensive back: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue
- Also receiving votes: DL: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State; Kenneth Grant, Michigan; Bear Alexander, USC; Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State; LB: Jaishawn Barhman, Michigan; Xander Mueller, Northwestern, Mohamed Toure, Rutgers, Carson Bruenner, Washington; Cal Haladay, Michigan State; Kydran Jenkins, Purdue; Jaheim Thomas, Wisconsin; DB: Sebastian Castro, Iowa; Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon; Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin; Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin; Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State; Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Kicker: Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
- Punter: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
- All-purpose: Zachariah Branch, USC
- Also receiving votes: K: Drew Stevens, Iowa; P: James Evans, Indiana; ALL-PURPOSE: Donaven McCulley, Indiana; Nick Singleton, Penn State; Braeden Wisloski, Maryland
AWARDS
- Coach of the Year: Ryan Day, Ohio State
- Player of the Year: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon*
- Newcomer of the Year: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
- Newcomer of the Year (non-Dillon Gabriel category): Caleb Downs, Ohio State
* indicates unanimous selection
Poll participants: Nathan Baird, IndyStar; Frank Bodani, York (Pa.) Daily Record; Alec Dietz, The Register-Guard (Eugene); Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star; Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press; Chris Iseman, The Bergen Record/NorthJersey.com; Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch; Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch; Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier; Michael Niziolek, Bloomington Herald-Times; Zach Osterman, IndyStar; Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press; Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register;
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Meet USA TODAY Sports Network 2024 Preseason All-Big Ten football team, top player, coach
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