Ohio State puts nation-leading four players on preseason AP All-America team

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, one of the second-ranked Buckeyes’ high-profile transfers, and three of his new teammates were selected for the preseason Associated Press All-America team announced Monday.

Downs, who was a second-team All-American as a freshman for Alabama last season, was joined by guard Donovan Jackson, receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke to give Ohio State the most first-team selections. Running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive lineman Tyleik Williams made the second team to give the Buckeyes six total selections, also the most of any team.

No. 1 Georgia and No. 9 Michigan each had three players picked for the first team. Quarterback Carson Beck was joined by fellow Bulldogs guard Tate Ratledge and defensive back Malaki Starks, a first-team All-American last year.

The defending national champion Wolverines are represented by tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson.

No. 5 Alabama put two transfers on the first team in center Parker Brailsford (Washington) and kicker Graham Nicholson (Miami, Ohio).

No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 13 LSU also had two first-team selections.

The Fighting Irish had defensive tackle Howard Cross III and safety Xavier Watts selected. Watts was an All-American last season and Cross made the second team. The Tigers were represented by tackle Will Campbell and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. on the first team.

No. 3 Oregon placed three players on the second team, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a sixth-year player who transferred from Oklahoma after starting his career at UCF.

First-team by conference

• SEC: 10
• Big Ten: 8
• ACC: 4
• Big 12: 3
• Independent: 2

First-team offense

• QB — Carson Beck, fifth year, Georgia
• RB — Ollie Gordon II, third year, Oklahoma State; Omarion Hampton, third year, North Carolina
• OT — Will Campbell, third year, LSU; Kelvin Banks Jr., third year, Texas
• G — Donovan Jackson, fourth year, Ohio State; Tate Ratledge, fifth year, Georgia
• C — Parker Brailsford, third year, Alabama
• TE — Colston Loveland, third year, Michigan
• WR — Luther Burden III, third year, Missouri; Tetairoa McMillan, third year, Arizona; Emeka Egbuka, fourth year, Ohio State
• K — Graham Nicholson, fourth year, Alabama
• All-purpose player — Travis Hunter, third year, Colorado

First-team defense

• Edge — James Pearce Jr., third year, Tennessee; Ashton Gillotte, fourth year, Louisville
• DT — Mason Graham, third year, Michigan; Howard Cross III, sixth year, Notre Dame
• LB — Harold Perkins Jr., third year, LSU; Jay Higgins, fifth year, Iowa; Barrett Carter, fourth year, Clemson
• CB — Will Johnson, third year, Michigan; Denzel Burke, fourth year, Ohio State
• S — Malaki Starks, third year, Georgia; Caleb Downs, second year, Ohio State
• DB — Xavier Watts, fifth year, Notre Dame
• P — Alex Mastromanno, fifth year, Florida State

Second-team offense

• QB — Dillon Gabriel, sixth year, Oregon
• RB — TreVeyon Henderson, fourth year, Ohio State; Ashton Jeanty, third year, Boise State
• OT — Ajani Cornelius, fifth year, Oregon; Aireontae Ersery, fifth year, Minnesota
• G — Tyler Booker, third year, Alabama; Dylan Fairchild, fourth year, Georgia
• C — Cooper Mays, fifth year, Tennessee
• TE — Mitchell Evans, fourth year, Notre Dame
• WR — Tez Johnson, fifth year, Oregon; Tre Harris, fifth year, Mississippi; Ricky White III, fifth year, UNLV
• K — Andres Borregales, fourth year, Miami
• All-purpose player — Zachariah Branch, second year, Southern California

Second-team defense

• Edge — Nic Scourton, third year, Texas A&M; Abdul Carter, third year, Penn State
• DT — Tyleik Williams, fourth year, Ohio State; Deone Walker, third year, Kentucky
• LB — Danny Stutsman, fourth year, Oklahoma; Jason Henderson, fourth year, Old Dominion; Nick Martin, fourth year, Oklahoma State
• CB — Benjamin Morrison, third year, Notre Dame; Sebastian Castro, sixth year, Iowa
• S — Dillon Thieneman, second year, Purdue; Billy Bowman, fourth year, Oklahoma
• DB — Ricardo Hallman, fourth year, Wisconsin
• P — James Ferguson-Reynolds, third year, Boise State

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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