Published Dec 30, 2016
Michigan Football: Peoples-Jones, Ross USA Today's Best In Michigan
Chris Balas  •  Maize&BlueReview
Senior Editor

Michigan wide receiver pledge Donovan Peoples-Jones and linebacker commitment Joshua Ross were named USA Today's offensive and defensive players of the year in the state of Michigan.

Several other future Wolverines made the first and second teams of the 2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Michigan Football Team.

Players were selected based on their athletic achievements from the 2016-17 season.

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"In leading Cass Tech to the Division 1 state championship and a 14-0 record, arguably the nation’s most talented senior wide receiver had 60 receptions for 1,064 yards and 17 TDs. Peoples-Jones, a Michigan commit, was also a major factor on defense, grabbing four interceptions and returning one for a TD," USA Today wrote.

Michigan pledge Phiip Paea made the first team offensive line, while fellow OL commitment JaRaymond Hall made the second team.

On defense, Ross proved to be USA Today's best of the best.

"Ross was the leader of a stellar Orchard Lake St. Mary’s defense, a key cog in the team winning its third straight Division 3 state championship. A four-year starter and a Michigan commit, Ross may have saved his best performance for last, making 140 tackles as a senior, including 20 tackles for loss," they wrote.

Pledges Deron Irving-Bey, Corey Malone-Hatcher, Jaylen Kelly-Powell and Ambry Thomas all made the first team, while junior targets Aidan Hutchinson and Kolin Demens, among others, made the second team.

USA Today First Team Offense

QB Kalil Pimpleton (5-7, 160, Sr.), Muskegon

RB Tariq Reid (6-0, 200, Jr.), Davison

RB Jared Smith (6-0, 205, Sr.), Pewamo-Westphalia (Pewamo)

WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (6-1, 170, Sr.), Cass Technical (Detroit)

WR Cody White (6-3, 195, Sr.), Walled Lake Western

TE Bryce Wolma (6-4, 235, Sr.), Saline

OL Reid Thompson (6-0, 285, Sr.), Fenton

OL Rob Hudson (6-8, 310, Sr.), Walled Lake Western

OL Mustafa Khaleefah (6-6, 280, Sr.), Dearborn

OL Phil Paea (6-4, 290, Sr.), Berrien Springs

OL Jordan Reid (6-4, 285, Sr.), Cass Technical (Detroit)

Second Team

QB Rodney Hall (6-2, 200, Sr.), Cass Technical (Detroit)

RB Rashawn Allen (5-9, 210, Jr.), St. Mary’s (Orchard Lake)

RB Bo Bell (5-9, 175, Sr.), Lumen Christi Catholic (Jackson)

WR Anthony D’Annibale (6-1, 190, Sr.), Novi

WR Hunter Rison (5-11, 197, Sr.), Skyline (Ann Arbor)

TE Keegan Cossou (6-5, 225, Sr.), Greenville

OL Blake Bueter (6-4, 276, Sr.), Detroit Catholic Central (Novi)

OL JaRaymond Hall (6-5, 282, Sr.), Oak Park

OL Ryan Hayes (6-7, 252, Jr.), Traverse City West

OL Tyrone Sampson Jr. (6-3, 295, Jr.), East English Village Prep (Detroit)

OL Kyle Sassack (6-7, 270, Sr.), Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)

USA Today First Team Defense

DL Johnathan Berghorst (6-3, 280, Sr.), Zeeland East

DL Ian Hall (6-1, 230, Sr.), Grandville

DL Deron Irving-Bey (6-5, 270, Sr.), Flint Southwestern Academy

DL Corey Malone-Hatcher (6-3, 245, Sr.), St. Joseph

LB Lorenzo McCaskill (6-2, 210, Sr.), Southfield A&T

LB Josh Ross (6-2, 225, Sr.), St. Mary’s (Orchard Lake)

LB Antjuan Simmons (6-1, 215, Sr.), Pioneer (Ann Arbor)

DB Donovan Johnson (5-9, 180, Sr.), Cass Technical (Detroit)

DB Jaylen Kelly-Powell (6-0, 195, Sr.), Cass Technical (Detroit)

DB Reggie Pearson (5-10, 110, Jr.), River Rouge

DB Ambry Thomas (5-11, 175, Sr.), Martin Luther King Jr. (Detroit)

Second Team

DL Ralph Holley (6-2, 270, Sr.), St. Mary’s (Orchard Lake)

DL Aidan Hutchinson (6-5, 234, Jr.), Divine Child (Dearborn)

DL Jack Saylor (6-3, 215, Sr.), Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills)

DL Matt Surma (6-3, 260, Sr.), Utica Eisenhower (Shelby Twp.)

LB Kolin Demens (6-1, 204, Jr.), Detroit Country Day (Franklin)

LB Steven Spenner (6-3, 217, Sr.), Berrien Springs

LB Andrew Ward (6-1, 200, Sr.), Muskegon

DB Hamze Elzayat (5-11, 180, Sr.), Fordson (Dearborn)

DB Mason Gee-Montgomery (6-0, 190, Sr.), Stockbridge

DB Scott Nelson (6-2, 185, Sr.), University of Detroit Jesuit

DB Allen Stritzinger (6-0, 184, Sr.), De La Salle (Warren)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P Taylor McCarty (6-4, 205, Sr.), Lake Orion

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