Scarlet Sunrise: Four Buckeyes players tabbed for Lombardi Award preseason watch list
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Four Buckeyes players tabbed for Lombardi Award preseason watch list
Four Ohio State players were named Tuesday to the preseason watch list for the Lombardi Award, given annually to the offensive or defensive lineman — or linebacker — who “exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi, in addition to outstanding performance and ability.”
Those four Buckeyes players are defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and left guard Donovan Jackson.
There are 80 players on this year’s watch list, including 19 from the Big Ten. To put that in perspective, the SEC has the next most representatives at 14.
Hall is coming of a 2022 season that left Ohio State fans wanting more. He teased All-American ability the first half of the season before being significantly limited by a shoulder injury down the stretch. Tuimoloau also demonstrated his star potential, namely with a game-wrecking performance at Penn State that saw him cause four turnovers. Eichenberg was fifth nationally with 77 solo tackles last season and carried the torch for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ 4-2-5 defense.
Jackson, meanwhile, is one of two returning starters for the Buckeyes up front. He has emerged as the leader of this year’s offensive line and is a legit NFL prospect after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media as a sophomore in 2022.
Lessons Learned from Justin Frye about state of Ohio State O-Line halfway through camp
Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye met with the media Tuesday. He was more buttoned up about his O-Line than head coach Ryan Day was on Monday.
That said, even though Frye didn’t shed much light on the specifics of the ongoing position battles up front, he did provide some insight on the candidates jockeying for those roles.
Lettermen Row recapped our “Lessons Learned” from Frye’s session with reporters. Check it out here.
RELATED
True freshmen Bryson Rodgers, Jermaine Mathews shed black stripe after 11th practice of camp
Two more Ohio State players shed their black stripe after Tuesday’s practice, the 11th of Ohio State training camp: true freshmen Bryson Rodgers and Jermaine Mathews.
Rodgers is one of four Buckeyes first-year wide receivers. Despite having the lowest recruiting rating of that group, he’s the second to lose his black stripe.
Mathews, meanwhile, was the No. 1 Ohio and No. 4 overall cornerback prospect last cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
For more on the achievement of Rodgers, go here. And for Mathews, head on over here.
Trio of Buckeyes players make annual college football Freaks List
Longtime college football reporter Bruce Feldman released his annual college football Freaks List for The Athletic, and three Ohio State players made the cut.
That, of course, includes superstar wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who stands 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, was a Biletnikoff Award finalist last year and is already projected to be the highest-drafted wide receiver since Calvin Johnson Jr. went No. 2 overall in 2007.
To find out which other Buckeyes players earned a spot on the 100-player list, go here.
Counting down
Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 17 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 102 days
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