Four new teams and a transfer portal in overdrive provided the Big Ten with an infusion of new talent.
The 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 Oregon’s Dan Lanning for our Coach of the Year pick ahead of this week’s Big Ten media days in Indianapolis.
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 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;