Michigan football's best players continue to receive honors ahead of the 2024 football season. The Wolverines have some of the best top-end talent in the nation, and the reigning national champions' best players are receiving recognition.
Maxwell Award
On Monday afternoon, Donovan Edwards was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, which is awarded to the best player in college football.
The Maxwell Award, which was most previously won by Washington's Michael Penix Jr. in 2023, has been given to an offensive player every season since 2012, when Manti Te'o won the award.
Because of the recent rise in popularity of the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the best defensive player in college football, the Maxwell Award has shifted its focus to just offensive players.
Edwards joins notable players Quinn Ewers, Ollie Gordon II and Quinshon Judkins on the Maxwell Award Watch List.
Patrick Mannelly Award
Longtime long snapper William Wagner joins 29 other long snappers on the Patrick Mannelly Award Watch List, which at the end of the season is given to the best long snapper in college football.
Wagner, a graduate student from Alpharetta, Georgia, has been the team's starting long snapper since the 2020 season.
Outland Trophy
To no college football fan's surprise, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant headline the Outland Trophy Watch List. The award is given to the best interior lineman in college football.
The Outland Trophy Watch List includes 75 players, 19 of which are on the defensive side of the ball.
Graham and Grant will combine to be arguably the best defensive tackle tandem in the nation in 2024.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the national defensive player of the year. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson were named to the watch list on Tuesday.
Sixteen of the 75 players came from the Big Ten.
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