Penn State’s Abdul Carter is the AP’s Big Ten defensive player of the year
A former La Salle High star, Carter has 10 sacks this season. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is the offensive player of the year.
Penn State’s Abdul Carter was named Big Ten defensive player of the year by the Associated Press on Tuesday after voting by a panel of 21 media members who cover the conference.
A former star at La Salle College High School, Carter leads the Big Ten with 19½ tackles for losses, and his 10 sacks are the most by a Penn State player since Carl Nassib had 15½ in 2015.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is AP’s offensive player of the year and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is coach of the year in the Big Ten.
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren were unanimous first-team selections. The first team includes five players from Iowa, four from Ohio State, and three each from conference champion Oregon and Indiana.
Repeat first-team selections are Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson, and Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins. Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau, a first-team pick in 2022 and ’23, is on the second team.
Gabriel, who transferred from Oklahoma in the offseason, led unbeaten and top-ranked Oregon to the Big Ten championship in its first year in the league. Gabriel averages 274 yards passing per game and has thrown for 28 touchdowns against six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate is second in the nation.
Cignetti has orchestrated one of the great turnarounds of all time in his first season at Indiana. The Hoosiers, who won three games in 2023, have double-digit wins for the first time and will take an 11-1 record into their College Football Playoff first-round game at Notre Dame on Dec. 20.
Ohio State freshman Jeremiah Smith is newcomer of the year. He set school freshman records for receptions (57), yards (934), touchdown receptions (10) and 100-yard games (three).
First-team offense
Wide receivers — Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, freshman, 6-3, 215, Miami Gardens, Florida; Pat Bryant, Illinois, senior, 6-3, 200, Jacksonville, Florida; Tai Felton, Maryland, senior, 6-2, 186, Ashburn, Virginia.
Tackles — Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota, senior, 6-3, 330, Kansas City, Missouri; Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, junior, 6-4, 315, Seattle.
Guards — Connor Colby, Iowa, senior, 6-6, 310, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, senior, 6-4, 320, Cypress, Texas.
Center — Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State, graduate, 6-4, 305, Buford, Georgia.
Tight end — u-Tyler Warren, Penn State, senior, 6-6, 261, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Quarterback — Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, graduate, 6-0, 200, Mililani, Hawaii.
Running backs — u-Kaleb Johnson, Iowa, junior, 6-0, 225, Hamilton, Ohio; Kyle Monangai, Rutgers, senior, 5-9, 209, Roseland, New Jersey.
Kicker — Dominic Zvada, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 180, Chandler, Arizona.
All-purpose — Kaden Wetjen, Iowa, senior, 5-10, 196, Williamsburg, Iowa.
First-team defense
Edge rushers — Abdul Carter, Penn State, junior, 6-3, 252, Philadelphia; Mikail Kamara, Indiana, junior, 6-1, 265, Ashburn, Virginia.
Interior linemen — Mason Graham, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 320, Mission Viejo, California; Derrick Harmon, Oregon, junior, 6-5, 310, Detroit.
Linebackers — Jay Higgins, Iowa, senior, 6-2, 232, Indianapolis; Aiden Fisher, Indiana, junior, 6-1, 233, Fredericksburg, Virginia; Carson Schwesinger, UCLA, junior, 6-2, 225, Moorpark, California.
Cornerbacks — D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana, sophomore, 5-9, 170, Miami; Xavier Scott, Illinois, junior, 5-11, 190, Riviera Beach, Florida.
Safeties — Caleb Downs, Ohio State, sophomore, 6-0, 205, Hoschton, Georgia; Koi Perich, Minnesota, freshman, 6-1, 200, Esko, Minnesota.
Defensive back — Sebastian Castro, Iowa, graduate, 5-11, 205, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
Punter — Eddie Czaplicki, Southern California, senior, 6-1, 207, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Second-team offense
Wide receivers — Tez Johnson, Oregon, senior, 5-10, 165, Pinson, Alabama; Elijah Sarratt, Indiana, junior, 6-2, 209, Stafford, Virginia; Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, graduate, 6-1, 205, Steilacoom, Washington.
Tackles — Gennings Dunker, Iowa, junior, 6-5, 316, Lena, Illinois; Hollin Pierce, Rutgers, senior, 6-8, 344, Trenton, New Jersey.
Guards — Emmanuel Pregnon, Southern California, senior, 6-5, 320, Denver; Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State, sophomore, 6-4, 348, Graham, Washington.
Center — Logan Jones, Iowa, senior, 6-3, 293, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Tight end — Colston Loveland, Michigan, junior, 6-5, 245, Gooding, Idaho.
Quarterback — Kurtis Rourke, Indiana, graduate, 6-5, 233, Oakville, Ontario.
Running backs — Jordan James, Oregon, junior, 5-10, 210, Nashville, Tennessee; Woody Marks, Southern California, senior, 5-10, 208, Atlanta.
Kicker — Jonathan Kim, Michigan State, graduate, 6-1, 227, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
All-purpose — Woody Marks, Southern California, senior, 5-10, 208, Atlanta.
Second-team defense
Edge rushers — Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon, sophomore, 6-5, 270, Bellflower, California; JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State, senior, 6-5, 269, Edgewood, Washington.
Interior linemen — Ty Robinson, Nebraska, senior, 6-6, 310, Gilbert, Arizona; Kenneth Grant, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 339, Gary, Indiana.
Linebackers — Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota, senior, 6-3, 240, Anoka, Minnesota; Bryce Boettcher, Oregon, senior, 6-2, 225, Eugene, Oregon; Kobe King, Penn State, junior, 6-1, 248, Detroit.
Cornerbacks — Jermari Harris, Iowa, graduate, 6-1, 189, Chicago; Will Johnson, Michigan, junior, 6-2, 202, Detroit.
Safeties — Jaylen Reed, Penn State, senior, 6-0, 212, Detroit; Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, graduate, 6-1, 210, Tucson, Arizona.
Punter — Rhys Dakin, Iowa, freshman, 6-0, 222, Melbourne, Australia.