The Big Ten Conference announced its 2018 football preseason honors on Monday in conjunction with the start of Big Ten Media Days at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. A media panel selected the 10-member preseason list, with five representatives each from the East and West Divisions.
Ohio State fielded a pair of honorees on the East Division roster, while Penn State was represented by senior quarterback and unanimous selection Trace McSorley. The Buckeyes were represented by junior defensive end Nick Bosa and sophomore running back J.K. Dobbins. Michigan junior defensive lineman Rashan Gary and Michigan State junior quarterback Brian Lewerke rounded out the East Division lineup. McSorley garnered Big Ten football preseason honors for the second consecutive season.
Wisconsin paced the West Division with two standouts selected. The Badgers saw senior linebacker T.J. Edwards and sophomore running back Jonathan Taylor earn recognition. Iowa junior tight end Noah Fant, Nebraska senior wide receiver Stanley Morgan Jr., and Northwestern sophomore linebacker Paddy Fisher completed the West Division honorees. Fant, Morgan Jr., Fisher, Edwards and Taylor garnered Big Ten football preseason honors for the first time in their careers.
The 2018 Big Ten preseason honors list features the reigning Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year in Bosa and the returning Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year in Taylor, who are among nine All-Big Ten selections on the squad. Bosa, Edwards, Gary and Taylor were first-team All-Big Ten picks last year. Other second- and third-team All-Conference honorees last year who made this year’s preseason honors list include Dobbins, Fant, Fisher, McSorley and Morgan Jr.
The full list of Big Ten football preseason honorees is as follows:
EAST DIVISION
Rashan Gary, Jr., DL, MICH
Brian Lewerke, Jr., QB, MSU
Nick Bosa, Jr., DE, OSU
J.K. Dobbins, So., RB, OSU
TRACE MCSORLEY, SR., QB, PSU
WEST DIVISION
Noah Fant, Jr., TE, IOWA
Stanley Morgan Jr., Sr., WR, NEB
Paddy Fisher, So., LB, NU
T.J. Edwards, Sr., LB, WIS
Jonathan Taylor, So., RB, WIS
Unanimous honoree in ALL CAPS
Photo: Wisconsin Badgers