Four Buckeyes honored as AFCA All-American selections

COLUMBUS — Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin and safety Caleb Downs are one step closer to earning trees in Buckeye Grove as consensus All-Americans. Both were first-team selections by Walter Camp Football Foundation on Thursday night — and again by the American Football Coaches Association on Friday.

Yes, both Alabama transfers are first-team All-Americans from two of the five major services that count toward consensus and unanimous honors.

Both Downs and McLaughlin transferred to Ohio State from Alabama this past offseason after starting last season for the Crimson Tide.

Caleb Downs has 62 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three pass deflections and an interception — which came last weekend in the loss to Michigan — on the season. He also has a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown to his name this year.

He won the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year award and was a finalist for the Thorpe Award — but didn’t win the honor.

McLaughlin is quickly adding to his trophy case, too. He became the fourth center in Ohio State history to win the Rimington Trophy on Thursday night. He joins LeCharles Bentley (2001), Pat Elflein (2016) and Billy Price (2017) as Buckeyes centers to win the award, which has been given out since 2000.

McLaughlin beat out Cooper Mays of Tennessee, whom the Buckeyes host Dec. 21 in the College Football Playoff first round, and Jacob Gideon of Western Michigan. Both of those two played in every game for their respective teams, while McLaughlin only played 10 games before his injury that he suffered the week of the Indiana game.

Superstar freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is a second-team All-American selection for the Buckeyes by both the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association. He finished the regular season with 57 catches for 934 yards and 10 touchdowns during his first year on campus, a remarkable stat line for a first-year receiver.

Smith was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year last week when the league released its awards and honors.

Senior offensive lineman Donovan Jackson was named a second-team selection by the American Football Coaches Association as well.