Wednesday was another record day for the Ohio State Buckeyes football program as they notched seven All-Americans.
The Ohio State Buckeyes tied another program record on Wednesday. 1974 was the last time that Ohio State grabbed seven The Sporting News All-Americans until Wednesday.
This year, the Buckeyes matched the 1974 team with seven All-American nominations for The Sporting News.
It was the expected suspects, with one flip from the AP All-American Team. The first team was led by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who topped his spectacular freshman season in just 10.5 games this year. Joining Smith is safety Caleb Downs, who is largely regarded around college football as the top defender in the game.
Kayden McDonald checks in as the third Buckeye on the first team after he put together a spectacular season, replacing two high draft picks. He has proved that he is not only one of the best defenders on a loaded Buckeyes team, but is one of the best defenders in the entire country.
The final Buckeye on the first team is linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles was stood up on the AP Team but jumped up to the first team for The Sporting News. Styles finished the year with 80 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, a half sack, and one interception. I may be biased on the matter, but Styles should be regarded as one of the best pure football players in the entire country. His instincts are off the charts, and he is a very clear leader of the entire Ohio State team.
Those four led the Buckeyes onto the first team, and the next three came up the rear on the second team.
Wide receiver Carnell Tate was again on pace for an easy first-team selection until his injury cost him three games at the end of the year. He finished the year with 48 catches for a career high 838 yards and nine touchdowns. He has been special and missed out on a major career season with his alleged calf injury.
Linebacker Arvell Reese checks in with the second team after he put together arguably the most impressive and valuable campaign out of anyone in college football. He entered the season as an unknown player and is leaving it as a potential Top-15 draft pick. He can rush the quarterback, stop the run, and play in coverage. There is nothing he can't do, and for that, he landed on the second team.
The final second team selection is defensive end Caden Curry. Curry is the shock of the list as he was an AP third team selection, but made it onto The Sporting News second team, and deservedly so. Curry finished the year with career highs of 60 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks with 2 pass deflections and 2 fumble recoveries.
The Buckeyes this year have been special, and they have been rewarded as such. One could argue that a few more Buckeyes were snubbed out of the postseason honors, but who is counting? Ohio State ties their 51 year old record and is looking for so much more this post season.