Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith Lead Buckeyes’ All-Big Ten Contingent

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Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith Lead Buckeyes’ All-Big Ten Contingent

12/3/2024 1:19:00 PM | Football

Named defensive back and wide receiver/freshman of the year respectively; seven first-team honorees

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A total of 22 Ohio State Buckeyes earned all-Big Ten Conference honors today as the league released its post-season all-conference teams today as voted on by the head coaches and members of the media.

Sophomore safety Caleb Downs and freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith lead the contingent of Ohio State Buckeyes honored. Downs was named the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year; Smith was honored with the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year award and the Thompson-Randle-El Freshman of the Year award. In addition, both players were first-team all-Big Ten on both the coaches and media ballots.

Downs, who leads the Buckeyes with 34 solo tackles and is third with 62 total tackles plus 6.5 tackles-for-loss, an interception and three pass break-ups, receives his first major award as a Buckeye and he is still in line for three others as he is a finalist for the Thorpe Award, the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Smith, who set Ohio State freshman records for receptions (57), yards (934), touchdown receptions (10) and 100-yard games (three), is No. 1 nationally among freshmen in touchdowns and yards and he is No. 2 in receptions. He is the third consecutive Buckeye to win receiver of the year with Marvin Harrison Jr., winning in 2022 and 2023.

Smith is the 11th Buckeye to be named freshman of the year and joins a list that includes QBs C.J. Stroud, J.T Barrett, Braxton Miller and Terrelle Pryor, RBs Mike Weber, Maurice Clarett and Robert Smith, LB Andy Katzenmoyer and OTs Orlando Pace and Korey Stringer.

First-Team
Joining Downs and Smith as first-team all-Big Ten honorees are OG Donovan Jackson, C Seth McLaughlin, SAF Lathan Ransom, LB Cody Simon and DE JT Tuimoloau.

• Jackson, a true senior, is first-team all-conference for the third consecutive year and he joined Downs and Smith as an honoree on both the coaches and media ballots. After playing left guard for his entire career, including 31 starts at the position, he unselfishly switched over to left tackle to help the team for the final four games of the regular season.
• McLaughlin, already with finance and master’s degrees, joined Jackson as a leader along the offensive line at center. He graded out as a champion in all 10 of his starts before suffering an Achilles injury that ended his season after 10 games. He is a finalist for the National Football Foundation’s Campbell Trophy, which honors the outstanding scholar-athlete in college football.
• Ransom, who has graduated, is fourth on the team in tackles with 57 and also fills virtually every other statistical box with six TFLs, three forced fumbles, and an interception, PBU, QB hurry and fumble recovery.
• Simon, another fifth-year graduate, is second on the team in tackles (74), TFLs (8.5 for 49 yards), QB sacks (five) and he is third with five pass break-ups.
• Tuimoloau, like Jackson and first-team for the third consecutive year, is a true senior who has 38 tackles and leads the team with 11.5 tackles for losses totaling 58 yards and six QB sacks, plus he is second on the team with five QB hurries.

Second-Team
Two Buckeyes earned second-team honors: senior DE Jack Sawyer (No. 1 on the team with six QB hurries plus 46 tackles and 4.5 QB sacks) for a second time and junior LB Sonny Styles, the team leader with 76 total tackles plus 6.5 TFLs, three PBUs and a fumble recovery.

Third-Team & Honorable Mention
Seven players were named third-team all-Big Ten: CB Denzel Burke, a true senior who has 41 tackles and two interceptions; graduated WR Emeka Egbuka, who leads the team with 60 receptions and also has 743 yards and nine TDs; RB TreVeyon Henderson, with 751 yards and six TDs; QB Will Howard, who has thrown for 2,860 yards, 27 TDs and is fourth nationally in completion pct. (72.3); RB Quinshon Judkins, the team’s leading rusher with 805 yards and eight TDs; LT Josh Simmons, who had started 18 consecutive games for the Buckeyes before an injury sidelined him after five games; and senior DT Tyleik Williams, who had 32 tackles in nine games this season plus 5.5 TFLs, including 2.5 quarterback sacks.

Earning honorable mention honors were graduated RT Josh Fryar, graduated DT Ty Hamilton, cornerbacks Jordan Hancock, a true senior, and junior Davison Igbinosun, long snapper John Ferlmann, a senior, and junior RG Tegra Tshabola.

All-Big Ten Conference Snapshot – Ohio State Buckeyes

Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year
SAF Caleb Downs

Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year
WR Jeremiah Smith

Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year
WR Jeremiah Smith

First-Team All-Big Ten
SAF Caleb Downs, LG Donovan Jackson, C Seth McLaughlin, SAF Lathan Ransom, WR Jeremiah Smith, LB Cody Simon and DE JT Tuimoloau

Second-Team All-Big Ten
DE Jack Sawyer, LB Sonny Styles

Third-Team All-Big Ten
CB Denzel Burke, WR Emeka Egbuka, RB TreVeyon Henderson, QB Will Howard, RB Quinshon Judkins, LT Josh Simmons, DT Tyleik Williams

Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
RT Jos ish Fryar, DT Ty Hamilton, CB Jordan Hancock, CB Davison Igbinosun, LS John Ferlmann, RG Tegra Tshabola