Fourteen Michigan players make PFF's All-Big Ten teams, including seven first-teamers

The hype surrounding the Michigan football team continues to grow as the 2023 season approaches. That continued this week, when football analytics site Pro Football Focus released its 2023 preseason All-Big Ten team. The Wolverines led the league with the most first-team offensive members (four), first-team members overall (seven) and overall members on the three teams (14).

See where the Michigan players were cited below, and see PFF's overall team's here.

First-team members

JJ McCarthy, quarterback

All-around, McCarthy was just about everything Michigan wanted him to be at quarterback last fall. He was top-25 in passing efficiency and in yards per attempt. He didn’t make many mental mistakes, managed a run-heavy offense most of the season, stepped up with some big plays onceBlake Corumwent down with injury and established himself as a likable leader for the Wolverines heading into 2023. Statistically, he completed 208-of-322 pass attempts for 2,719 yards with 22 touchdowns (tied-No. 6) and five interceptions, and added 306 rushing yards with five touchdowns on 70 attempts, tops among Big Ten quarterbacks last fall.

Blake Corum, running back

Corum, who became Michigan's first unanimous All-American running back since 1947 last fall, is a bona fide Heisman Trophy candidate entering this season. Though he missed spring practices due to a meniscus injury, he was among the top five nationally in rushing yards (1,463), scrimmage yards (1,543), touchdowns (19), scoring (114), and first downs (96) through 11 games last fall prior to his injury. And after turning down the NFL to focus on his recovery from meniscus surgery and try to win a national championship with the Wolverines, he is expected to be among the nation's best backs again.

Zak Zinter, offensive guard

Zinter, named first-team All-Big Ten by coaches and media last fall, is entering his fourth season along Michigan's offensive line. Out of 124 power-five offensive guards who played at least 250 pass-blocking snaps, Zinter graded out 29th in Pro Football Focus's pass-blocking grade, and was 14th out of 104 power-five guards in the site's run-blocking grade. Michigan ball-carriers ran for 815 yards on 7.15 yards per carry when running between the center and right guard, or right guard and right tackle. Included in those rushing totals were 3.5 yards before contact per carry, suggesting Zinter was clearing paths time and again. On all other carries, Michigan averaged 5.69 yards per carry and 2.60 yards before contact per carry. Choosing to return for his senior year, Zinter is hoping to emerge as one of the nation's very best offensive linemen.

A captain and second-year starting center for Stanford last fall, Nugent was among the better centers in the country last season. Playing all 12 games and 833 snaps, Nugent was 19th out of 61 Power-Five centers in pass-blocking efficiency (per PFF) and was No. 3 of the same group in PFF’s run-blocking grade. He allowed four sacks in 500 pass-blocking snaps, and the Cardinal averaged 4.26 yards per carry when running behind center last fall, compared to 3.43 yards per carry overall. Nicknamed "Diesel," Nugent is known for his tireless work ethic and physicality that expands beyond his frame. That especially shows itself in the run game, which is the way Michigan likes it. Beyond his blocking ability, he's a veteran center capable of reading defenses and making pre-snap calls, making him a favorite to win the starting job, despite missing all of spring practices rehabbing injury.

Kris Jenkins Jr., defensive tackle

Last season, his first as a starting defensive tackle for Michigan, Jenkins impressed to the tune of 54 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 20 quarterback pressures and 31 run stops. According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins led all defensive linemen in the country in run stops, and ranked second among Power-Five linemen in run-stop rate (trailing only Georgia's Jalen Carter). He helped the Wolverines rank second among Power-Five teams (behind only Georgia) allowing just 97.9 rushing yards per game. Now reportedly 24 pounds heavier than last season and with even more practice under his belt, Jenkins is a trendy breakout pick for 2023, including landing on multiple preseason All-American lists by Phil Steele, Lindy's Sports and others.

As a sophomore, Moore was one of the Wolverines' best players, recording 71 tackles (including 26 in two postseason games), 1.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and seven pass breakups. Those are excellent box-score stats, but Moore checked out even better by the advanced stats. According to Pro Football Focus's advanced numbers, Moore finished seventh out of 162 Power-Five safeties with at least 400 snaps in missed tackle rate (just four all season). He was also 24th in collegiate passer rating allowed (121.5) and seventh in PFF’s overall defensive grade. Among Power-Five safeties back in 2023, Moore ranked No. 12 in PFF's coverage grade, No. 5 in tackling grade, No. 2 in run defense grade and the No. 3 overall safety still in college. A tackling machine in the run game and a good coverage safety in the pass game, Moore will play a key role in Michigan's biggest games this fall.

Appearing in all 14 of Michigan's games as a true freshman, Johnson emerged as a starter in the Wolverines' final five contests. During the season, he made 27 tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and six pass breakups. According to PFF, Johnson allowed a collegiate passer rating of just 116.5 in coverage — 28 receptions on 50 targets, 353 yards allowed, two touchdowns allowed and three interceptions — despite frequently taking on opponents’ most talented receivers. That coverage rating ranked 28th out of 163 qualified Power-Five cornerbacks. Johnson was even better as the season wore on, as his coverage rating dropped to 106.5 despite playing all Power-Five competition in October, November and December. After the season, Johnson was named a freshman All-American by 247Sports, PFF and The Athletic, with PFF naming him the No. 2 freshman in 2022 and the top-graded 2022 five-star recruit. 

Second-team members

Despite playing behind Blake Corum for most of the season and battling some injuries of his own, Edwards had a strong sophomore season. He finished the season with 991 rushing yards, the most by a No. 2 running back, in 11 games, to go with 200 receiving yards. He also averaged 7.1 yards per carry, which topped all Power-Five running backs with at least 100 carries, and his 108.3 scrimmage yards per game ranked 17th among Power-Five players. In three starts in place of Corum at the end of the season, Edwards recorded 520 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Colson finished the 2022 season with a team-high101 tackles including six tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass breakup, 10 quarterback pressures and 18 run stops. Out of 117 qualified Power-Five linebackers nationally, Colson ranked fourth in lowest missed tackle rate (just seven on 101 tackles), and ranked 15th in Pro Football Focus's run defense grade. He struggled at times in coverage — allowing 31 receptions on 33 targets for 319 yards — but didn't allow a touchdown and only committed one penalty all season. 

Mason Graham, defensive tackle

With great size, strength and balance after years as a high-level wrestler, Graham played in all 14 games, making two starts and recording 27 tackles with 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup, 14 quarterback pressures and 14 run stops. According to Pro Football Focus, Graham finished the season 18th out of 327 qualified defensive tackles in Pro Football Focus’s run-stop rate, and was 68th out of 343 qualified tackles in pass-rushing production. Among true freshman, Graham was rather comfortably among the nation's top three tackles with Walter Nolen and Deone Walker. With Mazi Smith off to the NFL, Mason Graham has been dubbed "next" on Michigan's defense by players, coaches, media and fans.

Stewart's first two collegiate seasons at Coastal Carolina were superb, as he recorded 16 sacks, four forced fumbles and 81 quarterback pressures for the Chanticleers. The 6-foot-1, 237-pounder recorded five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in Michigan's spring game. Initially hailing from the Northeast and even playing with Mike Sainristil in high school, Stewart is expected to compete with Jaylen Harrell for the starting SAM edge role, and could play a Josh Uche role in passing downs.

Mike Sainristil, defensive back/flex

After spending three seasons as a slot receiver for the Wolverines, Sainristil switched to the defensive side of the ball before his senior year. It wasn't long, however, until he became more known for the defensive side of the ball, proceeding to finish among the top five on Michigan's roster in defensive snaps (689), tackles (58), tackles for loss (6.5) and pass breakups (seven). He also added two sacks, nine quarterback pressures on just 30 pass-rushing snaps, an interception and nine run stops. According to Pro Football Focus, Sainristil missed just two tackles in run defense, and ranked fifth out of 237 Power-Five cornerbacks in run defense grade. He also ranked sixth among the group in pass-rushing production, and second in PFF's pass-rushing grade. Sainristil, voted a captain before last fall, is once again expected to be a leader for Michigan both in the locker room and on the field.

Third-team members

Roman Wilson, wide receiver

In his third year with the Wolverines, Wilson picked up where he left off as a sophomore. Appearing in 12 games and starting four of them, Wilson caught 25 of 37 targets for 376 yards and four touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson recorded 190 yards after the catch, ranked second on the team with seven missed tackles and caught a team-best three contested catches. Similar to his sophomore season, injuries mid-season limited Wilson's production. From Michigan's bye week through the Big Ten championship game, a stretch of six games, Wilson had just eight targets, four receptions and 19 receiving yards. But be it improved health or a sign of improved fit in Michigan's offense, Wilson was electric in the Wolverines' Fiesta Bowl loss, as he caught five of six pass attempts for 104 yards and a touchdown, came inches from another score and added an 18-yard rushing touchdown.

LaDarius Henderson, offensive lineman

Voted a team captain in his fourth season as a starter for Arizona State, Henderson played six games before his season was ended due to a finger injury. In the six games he started, however, Henderson was rather good. As a pass-protector, Henderson finished the 2022 season 10th out of 155 qualified offensive guards in Pro Football Focus's pass-blocking efficiency (Michigan star Zak Zinter was 29th), as Henderson allowed one sack and three total pressures in 194 pass-blocking snaps. PFF did not grade Henderson out as highly as a run-blocker (77th of the aforementioned group), but Henderson received a day-three NFL Draft grade and an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl, which produced 36 2023 NFL Draft picks.