Five Michigan Football Players Make Preseason All-American List
Phil Steele, one of the best college football prognosticators in the world has a yearly magazine to preview the upcoming football season. He previews every conference, each team, and he also includes his preseason All-American team.
On his All-American team for the 2023-24 season, there are five Wolverines.
First-Team All-American:
RB: Blake Corum
Corum shocked many when he decided to come back for his senior season in Ann Arbor. He had a Heisman-caliber season a year ago, even with missing the final three games with an injury. In the 12 games he played a season ago, he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 scores. Corum was a unanimous All-American and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award in 2022. There isn't much doubt Corum should be in the Heisman conversation once again in 2023.
G: Zak Zinter
Zinter was another player who decided to come back for his senior campaign, although he generated NFL draft hype. Zinter has been a starter on the two-time Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line the past two seasons. The guard was an All-Big Ten award winner this past year.
Second-Team All-American:
LB: Junior Colson
Colson is entering his junior season, but for as much as he has played for Michigan, it feels like he's been there much longer. He started all 14 games for the Wolverines and was an All-Big Ten selection a season ago. He led the team with 101 tackles and was fourth in the conference. Colson will be asked once again to lead the linebackers and the former four-star recruit could put it all together for an All-American finale.
Third-Team All-American:
DT: Kris Jenkins
Not to sound like a broken record, but Jenkins was another Wolverine who turned down the NFL draft to return for his senior season in Ann Arbor. He started all 14 games last year and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention award winner. He led all defensive linemen on the team last season with 54 tackles and he also had two sacks. With Mazi Smith gone, Jenkins is expected to produce more and add veteran leadership to the locker room.
Fourth-Team All-American:
AP: Donovan Edwards
The junior running back could start at almost any school in the country, other than Michigan. The Wolverines have an embarrassment of riches at running back by returning Corum and Edwards. He ran for 991 yards last year and was the star of the final three games that Corum had to miss. He ran for 520 yards and three scores in that stretch and showed off his playmaking ability. It's a real possibility Michigan has two 1,000-yard rushers in 2023. And it's also a real possibility Michigan fans will never get to see Edwards as a full-season starter if he enters the NFL draft after this year.
