Athlon Sports Names Michigan No. 7 in 2012 Preseason Top 25 Poll

Athlon Sports, publisher of the No. 1-selling college football magazine, continues the release of its preseason Top 25 poll at www.athlonsports.com. The countdown commences every year in early May and leads to the on-sale date of Athlon's category-leading college football preseason annuals.

To celebrate the Michigan Wolverines being named No. 7, AthlonSports.com will devote an entire day to the program, including a look at the Top 10 Players for 2012, the Greatest Players since 1967 and a Team Preview. (Direct links are included below.)

Brady Hoke’s Michigan Wolverines continue the countdown at No. 7 with one preseason All-American and nine players selected as All-Big Ten performers. Athlon Sports predicts Michigan will finish first in the Big Ten’s Legends Division. In the five year period from 2007-11, Athlon Sports was one of the most accurate preseason magazines in prediction accuracy.*

“Brady Hoke has returned Michigan to prominence and has the Wolverines looking like the favorite in the Legends Division,” says Athlon Sports Managing Editor Mitch Light. “Heisman candidate Denard Robinson will lead a high-scoring offense once again, and the defense should continue the improvement it showed last season under coordinator Greg Mattison.”

One Michigan standout was named a preseason All-American, with quarterback Denard Robinson being voted to the third team. In addition, the U-M quarterbacks unit was ranked No. 3 nationally and best in the Big Ten. The offensive line was rated No. 10 in the country.

Nine Wolverines earned preseason All-Big Ten honors, including Robinson and offensive lineman Taylor Lewan on the first team. Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and wide receiver Roy Roundtree were named to the second team, while offensive lineman Patrick Omameh, defensive lineman Craig Roh, linebacker Kenny Demens and defensive backs Blake Countess and Jordan Kovacs garnered third-team honors.

Michigan Team Preview

Michigan's Top 10 Players of 2012

Michigan’s 10 Greatest Players Since 1967

 *Stassen.com analysis of college football preseason publications.