Three Ohio State stars earn unanimous first-team All-America honors

COLUMBUS — Ohio State continues to be highlighted on All-American teams as they are now finalized, and all five major lists are out.

The final All-American team of the postseason comes from the Football Writers Association of America — the FWAA. Four Buckeyes earned first- or second-team All-American status, including three Buckeyes who earned unanimous status.

It starts with first-team choices, of which there are three from the FWAA — giving Ohio State three unanimous All-Americans. That starts with defensive back Caleb Downs, who was a unanimous All-American selection last year and is now a unanimous choice safety again this fall. He joins an exclusive club of two-time unanimous All-American players from Ohio State: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (2022 and 2023), OT Orlando Pace (1995 and 1996), RB Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975), Bob Ferguson (1960 and 1961) and Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1954 and 1955).

Downs is joined on the first team by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, widely known as the best player in college football now a unanimous All-American wide receiver, and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who is also a unanimous choice.

Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese is already a consensus selection thanks to his first-team status from the AFCA, Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Associated Press. But he is a second-team selection from the FWAA after being named a second-team choice by The Sporting News on Wednesday.

Other first-team selections from earlier-released first-team All-America teams are Reese, who will be a consensus All-American, and defensive end Caden Curry, who was a first-team selection from On3, and center Carson Hinzman, a first-team selection from the AFCA.

Of course, the FWAA list is the final of the five All-American teams that count toward consensus and unanimous status; the Walter Camp Football Foundation list was released Friday, the Associated Press was released Monday, the American Football Coaches Association was released Tuesday and The Sporting News was released Wednesday.

Those designations come from five All-American selections: the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), The Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Those All-American teams were released across the last week.

Ohio State on All-American teams

The All-American honors are as follows, with one of the five major selectors now public:

WR Jeremiah Smith: On3 (first team), CBS Sports (first team), ProFootball Focus (first team), The Athletic (first team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Associated Press (first team), AFCA (first team), The Sporting News (first team), FWAA (first team)
DT Kayden McDonald: On3 (first team), CBS Sports (first team), ProFootball Focus (first team), The Athletic (first team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Associated Press (first team), AFCA (first team), The Sporting News (first team), FWAA (first team)
LB Arvell Reese: On3 (first team), CBS Sports (first team), The Athletic (first team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Associated Press (first team), AFCA (first team), The Sporting News (second team), FWAA (second team)
SAF Caleb Downs: On3 (first team), CBS Sports (first team), The Athletic (first team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Associated Press (first team), AFCA (first team), The Sporting News (first team), FWAA (first team)
DE Caden Curry: On3 (first team), The Athletic (second team), Associated Press (third team), AFCA (second team), The Sporting News (second team)
LB Sonny Styles: On3 (second team), ProFootball Focus (first team), The Athletic (second team), Associated Press (second team), The Sporting News (first team)
WR Carnell Tate: On3 (second team), Associated Press (second team), AFCA (second team), The Sporting News (second team)
QB Julian Sayin: Walter Camp Football Foundation (second team), Associated Press (third team), AFCA (second team)
OL Carson Hinzman: AFCA (first team)
OL Luke Montgomery: AFCA (first team)