Two of Ohio State’s more productive players from this season earned more national recognition for their efforts on Monday morning when wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was named a first-team All-American and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. This marks the second consecutive season in which the two Buckeyes earned these distinctions.
Harrison, who racked up a team-high 67 catches for 1,211 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023, adds this honor to an already decorated list of awards from this season. The junior was named the Biletnikoff Award winner, given to the nation’s best receiver, on Friday, then finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting a day later on Saturday. He also earned a number of conference accolades, including Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Receiver of the Year, and first-team all Big Ten.
Harrison’s FWAA first-team All-American selection also puts him in line to become a unanimous All-American for the second consecutive season. In order to do that, he will need to earn first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, the Associated Press and Sporting News.
Eichenberg, a two-time team captain, shined in what will likely be his last season for Ohio State, where he emerged as the unquestioned leader on a vaunted Buckeyes’ defense that finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in scoring defense at 11.0 points per game.
Despite missing two games with an arm injury, he finished his senior season leading the team with 80 tackles, while also racking up 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, four quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.
Eichenberg’s second-team FWAA All-American selection is also just one of many honors the linebacker has earned since the regular season ended. He earned the Big Ten’s Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award on Nov. 28, and also took home first-team All-Big Ten honors that same day.
Both Eichenberg and Harrison are expected to leave for the NFL Draft this offseason. Eichenberg is a projected third-round pick, while Harrison is slated to be picked in the top-three of the first round.
