Two Ohio State Buckeyes Superstars Earn Prestigious Honor

The Ohio State Buckeyes were the most talented team in the country last season, and that was on full display during their march to a national championship. And while they were incredibly gifted across the board, perhaps their two most talented players were wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs.

So, not surprisingly, both Smith and Downs have been named Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans heading into the 2025 college football season.

It's just the latest honor for Smith, who some feel is the top player in the entire country. The 19-year-old joined Ohio State surrounded by more buzz than you can imagine last year, with many deeming him the best wide receiver prospect to ever come through Columbus. Heck, some even dubbed him the best receiver prospect ever, period.

Smith delivered with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging an incredible 17.3 yards per catch. He also sealed the Buckeyes' national championship victory over Notre Dame with a huge 56-yard grab late in the fourth quarter.

Then, there's Downs, who transferred to Ohio State from Alabama after 2023 and went on to post 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a couple of interceptions and six passes defended in 2024. While he may not have been incredibly loud with his production, he was consistently fantastic, and his presence in the Buckeyes' secondary played a major role in the team having the country's top-ranked defense.

It will be enthralling to see what Smith and Downs do for an encore in 2025 and whether or not Ohio State can make a serious repeat run in spite of losing tons of players to the NFL Draft.