Preseason recognition keeps rolling in for Ohio State, and this time the Buckeyes showed up all over three more award watch lists.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Outland Trophy and the Patrick Mannelly Award all unveiled their preseason lists, and Ohio State has representation on each one. That follows the earlier preseason buzz the Buckeyes already picked up from the Maxwell Trophy.
On the defensive side, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Jaylen McClain landed on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, which honors the nation’s best defensive player. Jackson Jr. is the lone returning starter on the defensive line, while McClain is expected to take on a larger role with Caleb Downs in Dallas.
The Outland Trophy watch list, which goes to the best interior lineman in the country, includes the heart of Ohio State’s offensive line. Carson Hinzman, Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery all made the cut. It’s still unclear whether Siereveld will remain at guard.
Dalton Riggs also earned a spot on the Patrick Mannelly Award watch list. That award goes to the country’s top long snapper.
All of that preseason attention only reinforces the expectation around this team. With this much talent on the roster, Ohio State looks like a program that should collect hardware when the season ends. At least three Buckeyes ought to win awards by the time it’s over, and anything less than that would feel like a letdown.
Jeremiah Smith is the obvious name in the receiver race. He should be the favorite for the Biletnikoff Award, and he ought to be in the Heisman Trophy conversation as well, even if that feels like a stretch. Julian Sayin, meanwhile, should be in position to win the Davey O’Brien Award as the best quarterback in the country.
The offensive line will be the real tell. If Hinzman, Siereveld or Montgomery ends up with the Outland Trophy, that would be a strong sign Ohio State’s front has answered its biggest question. A Buckeye lineman taking home that award would almost certainly mean the team is operating at a championship level.
That’s part of why the Buckeyes are being viewed so favorably before the season. Coaches already voted them the top team in the country, and the offense looks capable of being the most intimidating unit anywhere, even if it doesn’t finish first in total yards per game.
Smith is the piece that changes the entire picture. He brings a burst no one else on the roster can match, and he finished with the fourth-most receiving yards of any receiver despite drawing constant double teams as Ohio State’s top threat last season.
The Buckeyes averaged 33.4 points per game a year ago. That number should climb closer to 40 this season, and if Ohio State doesn’t finish in the top ten in scoring, that would count as a disappointment.
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Saturday now looms as the key date in this one, with Vargas set to make his decision and bring an end to the early speculation. For Ohio State, the appeal is obvious: landing a player with his profile this early would be a major statement in the class and a sign that the Buckeyes are winning the kind of head-to-head battles that matter on the recruiting trail. The final call is still ahead, but the sense around this recruitment is that the Buckeyes are in a strong position entering the announcement. [Read more 🡒]