The Ohio State football program will be looking to defend its national championship this season. After going on the greatest four-game run in college football history, they are looking to duplicate that effort. They lose 15 starters from last year's team, however.
Despite that, the Buckeyes have two of the best players in all of college football on the roster again next year. Jeremiah Smith is the best offensive player in the country, and Caleb Downs is the best defensive player in the country. Both should be on every preseason All-American list.
Both find themselves on one of the first preseason All-American lists of the 2025 season. They are both on the Walter Camp Preseason All-American list. Both are first-team All-Americans, which isn't surprising. What is surprising is that the Buckeyes don't have any players on their list.
The Indiana Hoosiers have more Walter Camp preseason All-Americans than the Ohio State football team
Somehow, the Indiana Hoosiers have more players on this list than the Buckeyes. IU is one of five teams with three or more preseason All-Americans. Penn State, another Big Ten school, also has three members. Alabama, Clemson, and Texas are the other programs with three players.
Sonny Styles has a case to be on this list as well, although he would be on the second team rather than the first team. It's crazy that three other schools that Ohio State beat last year have more players on the list. Still, that's what the Buckeyes are facing this year as the defending champions.
Despite the number of losses the team has, Ohio State should still figure into the national championship conversation in 2025. They have one of the best overall rosters in the country. Everyone will find out how good they are right out of the gate as they face Texas.