In leading up to the 2016 season, it has become commonplace to see three names representing the Michigan Wolverines on various All-American lists. However, the good folks at CBS Sports did not fall in line with that trend, anointing only one member of Jim Harbaugh's squad to its first team.
Tight end Jake Butt, who was also a 2015 inclusion on this particular list, made the cut for the Maize and Blue, but linebacker (and do-everything athlete) Jabrill Peppers and cornerback Jourdan Lewis were conspicuously absent. Given the nature of Peppers' versatile and innovative deployment, it certainly does not seem to be a stretch that he would be left off a list like this (and he was named to the second team as a linebacker), but the big omission here is Lewis.
The senior cornerback was usurped by Iowa's Desmond King and Florida's Jalen Tabor, and even prior to Tabor's recent suspension, placing the Gators defensive back ahead of Lewis should raise eyebrows. Lewis famously led the country in pass break-ups as the anchor of an elite secondary in 2015, and Michigan fans undoubtedly did not love seeing him fall on the second team.
As with anything, a list such as this should not generate too much controversy, but Jake Butt is in the right place, Jourdan Lewis is not and, well, Jabrill Peppers remains a mystery.
