Three Badgers named to AP All-America teams

The Wisconsin Badgers received some good news on Monday morning as the AP All-America teams were announced.

Doak Walker Award-winning running back Jonathan Taylor and stud offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel claimed AP All-America first team honors, and fellow offensive guard Michael Deiter was named to the AP’s second team.

It should be noted that all three players were preseason AP All-America selections (inside linebacker T.J. Edwards and offensive tackle David Edwards were also on the preseason teams, and I will fist fight anyone who isn’t upset that T.J. isn’t getting more postseason recognition).

The Big Ten was not very well represented on the first team as outside of the two Badgers only Purdue’s all-purpose phenom Rondale Moore (::swoon::) made it from the conference. The Badgers, however, continued a strong recent showing on the team. Benzschawel, T.J. Edwards, David Edwards, Taylor and tight end Troy Fumagalli all made one of the teams last year.

The long list of Badger runners who also received AP All-America honors includes Melvin Gordon, Montee Ball, Ron Dayne, Alan Ameche, Brian Calhoun, Billy Marek, Brent Moss and John Clay. Taylor does join an exclusive club of multiple time honorees which only has two other members: Ameche and Dayne. That’s some pretty nice company for the sophomore from Salem, N.J.

The offensive linemen list is somehow even longer than the running back one, but Deiter and Benzschawel have now cemented their legacy at Wisconsin and should be talked about along with past greats like Joe Thomas, Ryan Ramczyk, Chris McIntosh, Gabe Carimi, Aaron Gibson, Cory Raymer and Joe Panos.

Wisconsin’s newly minted All-Americans and their teammates will look to end the season on a positive note by beating Miami for the second straight season in the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27 (4:15 p.m. CT, ESPN) from the capital of the Big Ten, New York City.