Michigan Wolverines senior quarterback Shea Patterson was named to the Maxwell Award watch list and the Davey O’Brien Award watch list heading into fall camp.

Patterson continued his run of earning honors Wednesday as he was named to Sporting News’ list of the top 40 players in college football. He checked in at No. 31 on the list of the top players in the nation.

“Patterson steadied the quarterback position at Michigan last season, and the addition of offensive coordinator Josh Gattis should translate to even more production after his 2,600-yard, 22-touchdown season in 2018,” Sporting News college football writer Bill Bender writes. “Jim Harbaugh must let Patterson improvise with a group of talented receivers; if he does, Patterson can prove this ranking right by leading the Wolverines to their first Big Ten championship since 2004.”

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Eight Michigan opponents were also on the list of the top 40 players. Wisconsin running back Johnathan Taylor checked in at No. 5, Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa was No. 7 , Ohio State defensive end Chase Young was No. 12, Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz was No. 21, Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes was No. 22, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book was No. 27, Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields were No. 35 and No. 40 respectively.

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