Four new teams and a rapidly expanding transfer portal have brought an influx of new talent to the Big Ten.
The USA TODAY Sports Network's preseason player of the year has never played a game in the league, Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel was the unanimous pick for player of the year and Ohio State's Ryan Day was named coach of the year over Oregon's Dan Lanning ahead of Big Ten media days in Indianapolis this week.
Gabriel was one of two unanimous selections to the All-Big Ten team, along with Ohio State WR Emeka Ogbuka, who appeared on all 14 votes. 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 all near-unanimous selections, appearing on 13 of the 14 votes.
Below are the rest of the 2024 preseason All-Big Ten teams, as determined by the 14 reporters covering the league for USA TODAY Sports Network.
attack
- Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon*
- Running back: Treveyon Henderson, Ohio State University
- Running back: Kyle Monangai, Rutgers University
- Wide Receiver: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State University*
- Wide Receiver: Tez Johnson, Oregon
- Tight End: Colston Loveland, Michigan
- Attacking line: Logan Jones, Iowa
- Attacking line: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State University
- Attacking line: Aironte Elsery, Minnesota
- Attacking line: Josh Priebe, Michigan
- Attacking line: Sal Wormley, Pennsylvania State University
- Receiving votes: RB: Quinsion Judkins (Ohio State), Donovan Edwards (Michigan State), 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 Connolly Jr. (Oregon), Ajani Cornelius (Oregon), Jonah Monheim (USC), Matthew Bedford (Oregon), Josh Fryer (Ohio State), Connor Colby (Iowa), Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State)
defense
- Defensive Line: Mason Graham, Michigan
- Defensive Line: JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State University
- Defensive Line: Tyreike Williams, Ohio State University
- Defensive Line: Abdul Carter, Pennsylvania State University
- Linebacker: Jay Higgins, Iowa
- Linebacker: Nick Jackson, Iowa
- Linebacker: Geoffrey Bassa, Oregon
- Defensive Backs: Will Johnson, Michigan
- Defensive Backs: Denzel Burke, Ohio State University
- Defensive Backs: Caleb Downs, Ohio State University
- Defensive Backs: Dillon Tieneman, Purdue University
- Receiving votes:download: Jack Sawyer (Ohio State University), Kenneth Grant (Michigan State University), Bea Alexander (University of Southern California), Dani Dennis Sutton (Penn State University), lb: Jayshawn Berman (University of Michigan), Xander Mueller (Northwestern University), Mohamed Toure (Rutgers University), Carson Bruner (University of Washington), Cal Halladay (Michigan State University), Kydran Jenkins (Purdue University), Jaheim Thomas (University of Wisconsin), DB: Sebastian Castro (University of Iowa), Jabbar Muhammad (University of Oregon), Hunter Waller (University of Wisconsin), Ricardo Holman (University of Wisconsin), Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State University), Kevin Winston Jr. (Penn State University)
Special teams
- Kicker: Dragan Kesic, Minnesota
- Punters: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State University
- All Purposes: Zachariah Branch, USC
- Receiving votes: mosquito: Drew Stevens, Iowa PA: James Evans, Indiana All Purposes: Donaven McCully (Indiana), Nick Singleton (Penn State), Braden Wisloski (Maryland)
Awards
- Coach of the Year: Ryan Day, Ohio State University
- 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 University
* indicates unanimous choice
Participants in the poll: Nathan Baird (IndyStar), Frank Bodani (York Daily Record, Pennsylvania), Alec Dietz (The Register-Guard (Eugene)), Adam Duvall (Peoria Journal Star), Tony Garcia (Detroit Free Press), Chris Eiseman (The Bergen Record/NorthJersey.com), Joey Kaufman (Columbus Dispatch), Bill Rabinowitz (Columbus Dispatch) and Sam King (Lafayette Journal & Courier). Michael Niziolek, Bloomington Herald Times Zach Osterman, IndyStar; Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press; Tyler Tuchman, Des Moines Register;
