A trio of Buckeyes is viewed as among the very best in college football.
Chris Olave, Thayer Munford and Haskell Garrett each were named as preseason first-team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, which is one of the five voting bodies used to determine consensus All-Americans.
Three other players from the Big Ten – center Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa), running back Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota) and defensive back Brandon Joseph (Northwestern) – were also chosen as first-team All-Americans. Linebacker Micah McFadden (Indiana) and kick returner Aron Cruickshank (Rutgers) are the conference's second-team All-American representatives.
Olave, for all his accolades, has yet to become an All-American in his three previous seasons as a Buckeye. He was picked as a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season when he caught 26 passes for 389 yards and four touchdowns. Now a senior, he's back to win a national championship, and in the process he'll be a prime candidate for All-American teams.
Munford, like Olave, hasn't been selected to any All-American teams so far. He was a first-team All-Big Ten pick last season, though, and has eyes on becoming college football's best offensive tackle, vocalizing that goal in the spring.
Garrett, due to an unexpected breakout 2020 season, is the only one of the three Buckeyes to have been an All-American before. Both the Associated Press and Sporting News gave him second-team nods last year.
