Buckeyes tie program record with seven first-team All-American selections

COLUMBUS — Ohio State continues to be highlighted on All-American teams as they are released throughout the week.

But one All-American team in particular, The Sporting News’ list, gave the Buckeyes a tie for a program record. The Sporting News named seven Buckeyes as either first- or second-team All-American selections on Wednesday.

That gives Ohio State seven first-team All-Americans from various All-American teams — tying a program record that was set in 1974.

It starts with first-team choices, of which there are four from The Sporting News. That includes defensive back Caleb Downs, who was a unanimous All-American selection last year and is now a consensus All-American safety again this fall. He’s joined on the first team by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, widely known as the best player in college football and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. All three are already consensus All Americans but can still earn unanimous honors.

Those three are joined by senior linebacker and team captain Sonny Styles, who made his first appearance on an All-American first-team Wednesday and earned his tree in Buckeye Grove.

Other first-team selections from earlier-released first-team All-America teams are linebacker Arvell 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.

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 Sporting News rather than a first-team choice.

He’s joined by defensive end Caden Curry and wide receiver Carnell Tate on the second team from The Sporting News.

Of course, The Sporting News is one of the five All-American teams that count toward consensus and unanimous status — and it’s the fourth of the five to be released; the Walter Camp Football Foundation list was released Friday, the Associated Press was released Monday and the American Football Coaches Association was released Tuesday.

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 have been released across the next week, with the FWAA list coming on Thursday to complete the five releases.

Ohio State on All-American teams

So far, 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)
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)
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)
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)
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)