Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin highlight Buckeyes offensive stars honored with Big Ten awards

COLUMBUS — For the second straight season, Ohio State does not have the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year on its roster.

Last season, that award went to Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. This year, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won it along with the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year honor.

But the Buckeyes are still heavily represented on the Big Ten’s offensive honors that were released on Thursday.

Jeremiah Smith has won the Richter-Howard Wide Receiver of the Year honor from the Big Ten, winning it for the second consecutive season after posting 72 catches for 942 yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season despite missing a game and being limited in another game.

Smith is the second straight two-time winner of the award, marking four straight years of Ohio State winning the receiver of the year honor. Marvin Harrison Jr. became the first Buckeyes wide receiver to win it, claiming it in 2022 and 2023 before Smith won it last year as a true freshman and again this season as a sophomore. The receiver of the year award has been handed out every year since 2011.

And quarterback Julian Sayin won the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year honor for his first season as a starting quarterback. Sayin has leads the nation in completion percentage, completing 78.9 percent of his passes for 3,065 yards and 30 touchdown passes. Sayin was named a second-team All-Big Ten quarterback, with Mendoza taking first-team honors.

He’s currently in the heat of a Heisman Trophy race with Mendoza, who beat him out for the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year honor. They’ll face off in Indianapolis this weekend for the Big Ten Championship, and whoever performs better in that game may take home the Heisman Trophy next weekend in New York City.

Below is the list of Ohio State players on the All-Big Ten teams from both the coaches and the media.

All-Big Ten offensive players from Ohio State

Coaches

First team: WR Jeremiah Smith, WR Carnell Tate, TE Max Klare
Second-team: QB Julian Sayin, RB Bo Jackson, LG Luke Montgomery, LT Austin Siereveld
Third-team: N/A
Honorable mention: RG Tegra Tshabola, TE Will Kacmarek

Media

First team: WR Jeremiah Smith, WR Carnell Tate, TE Max Klare
Second-team: QB Julian Sayin, LG Luke Montgomery
Third-team: RB Bo Jackson, C Carson Hinzman, RG Tegra Tshabola, RT Phillip Daniels, LT Austin Siereveld
Honorable mention: TE Will Kacmarek

All-Big Ten defenders from Ohio State

Coaches

First team: DT Kayden McDonald, LB Arvell Reese, LB Sonny Styles, DB Caleb Downs
Second-team: DE Caden Curry, CB Davison Igbinosun
Third-team: CB Jermaine Mathews Jr., LS John Ferlmann
Honorable mention: DB Jaylen McClain, DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DB Lorenzo Styles Jr., DT Tywone Malone, KR Brandon Inniss

Media

First team: DT Kayden McDonald, DE Caden Curry, LB Arvell Reese, LB Sonny Styles, DB Caleb Downs, CB Davison Igbinosun
Second-team: LS John Ferlmann
Third-team: DB Jaylen McClain
Honorable mention: DT Eddrick Houston, CB Jermaine Mathews Jr., DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., LB Payton Pierce, DB Lorenzo Styles Jr., DT Tywone Malone, KR Brandon Inniss