Michigan’s Will Johnson was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season

One of the best players in all of college football is expected to add to his trophy case in the 2024 season.

On Monday, Michigan junior cornerback Will Johnson was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in Cleveland.com’s annual media poll of 27 voters. Johnson scored 44 points, including eight first-place votes, to edge out the Iowa linebacker. Jay Higgins‘ 29 points (five first-place finishes). The Wolverines had two of the three top-voted candidates for the conference’s best defensive player, Junior Defensive Tackle Mason Graham and received 24 points and four votes for first place.

Johnson was named a 2023 First Team All-American after recording 27 tackles, four interceptions and eight pass breakups last season to help lead Michigan to the national championship title. The Detroit native was also a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection last year and was also named the Defensive MVP of the 2023 National Championship Game. In his career, Johnson has recorded 54 total tackles, three tackles for loss, seven interceptions and 14 pass breakups.

Graham, meanwhile, earned second-team All-American status after recording 35 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup for the Wolverines last season. He was selected to the All-Big Ten first-team by the conference’s coaches and finished third in the media poll. Graham was the Rose Bowl game’s best defensive player following Michigan’s 27-20 overtime win over Alabama in Pasadena, Calif. For his career, the rising junior has recorded 62 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Michigan opens the 2024 college football season on August 31 when they host Fresno State in Ann Arbor (7:30 p.m. / NBC)

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