It’s about that time, Ohio State fans. The preseason football awards are starting to kick off, and according to the Walter Camp Football Foundation, four Buckeyes deserve Preseason All-American awards. Still, one name is notably missing from the list.
Ohio State sophomore running back TreVeyon Henderson and junior wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba are listed on the first team. In contrast, junior offensive tackle Dawand Jones and kicker Noah Ruggles received second-team recognition.
While all four deserve such honors, one might wonder: Where is Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud? According to Walter Camp’s list, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young — last year’s Heisman Trophy winner — and Southern California signal-caller Caleb Williams are better suited as Preseason All-Americans.
Stroud completed 317 of 441 passes for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2021 and finished fourth in Heisman behind Young, Michigan’s Aiden Hutchinson and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett. He also swept the Big Ten’s offensive awards, winning the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, Quarterback of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.
Henderson was Ohio State’s leading rusher last season. He recorded 183 carries for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also added 27 catches for 312 yards and four scores. Receiving was more Smith-Njigba’s department. The star wideout caught a school-record 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns in a crowded wide receiver room that featured 2022 NFL Draft first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Jones was a first-year starter at right tackle in 2021 and took snaps opposite of 2022 NFL Draft second-round pick Nicholas Petit-Frere. He is expected to remain at right tackle this fall, with former No. 1 overall tackle recruit Paris Johnson Jr. kicking outside after a year at right guard.
Ruggles was automatic in his first year as Ohio State’s kicker. The graduate transfer sent 20 of 21 kicks through the uprights and made 74 of his point-after attempts last season, contributing 134 points to the Buckeye offense as the team’s leading scorer.
