ESPN releaased it's "Way-too-Early" All-American list and Ohio State is nowhere to be found.
The disrespect to the 2026 edition of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program has begun.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have won the National Championship and lost in the National Quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons, yet they are looked at as a major underdog heading into 2026.
Some of the perceived hate is probably warranted, as next year's Buckeyes team is going to be filled with a ton of unknowns, but only one All-American? That simply cannot be right.
ESPN's first Way (way, way, way)-too-early All-American Team for the 2026 season were released on Saturday, and there is only one Buckeye on it. You don't have to think too hard to guess which one that is.
Barring injury, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will again be the best player in College Football and will absolutely be an All-American next year. But really, no one else?
Some of the candidates, in my opinion, will be quarterback Julian Sayin, running back Bo Jackson, guard Luke Montgomery, and defensive end Kenyatta Jackson.
The quarterback conversation is going to be a very heavy debate next year. There are so many good signal callers in college football from Sayin to Arch Manning to CJ Carr. Seeing those guys battle for stardom will be fun to watch over the next season.
Everywhere else, the Buckeyes will have a chance.
I think that Ohio State's offensive line is going to take a major step forward next year, being that they will bring back one of the most veteran left sides of the line of scrimmage in the country. If they aren't dominating games on a weekly basis, something will be seriously wrong.
In the backfield, Jackson has all of the tools to be a star back in College Football. It took him three full games to gain enough respect to get a couple of touches last year, and even still, he finished the year with over 1,000 yards rushing and six touchdowns. A full year as the bell cow back will be a different story next season.
Now, the defense will be a bigger question mark. Kenyatta Jackson is going to need to take a major leap next year, and I believe he has the tools to do it. From a build perspective, he is a mismatch the second he steps off the bus. The production just has to match it.
Ohio State is going to be a team full of unknowns when they take the field in Week One next season, but by the time the season comes to an end, it will be a roster full of household names.
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