COLUMBUS — Wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson along with left tackle Thayer Munford were named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors list as announced by the conference on Wednesday.
You can read the full release below.
Buckeye Trio Named to Big Ten Preseason Honors List
LT Thayer Munford along with WRs Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson honored by the conference
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three Ohio State Buckeyes were named on Thursday morning to the Big Ten Preseason Honors list, the conference office announced. Ohio State’s honorees all came from the offensive side of the ball: WR Chris Olave, WR Garrett Wilson and LT Thayer Munford.
Olave and Wilson combined for 1,452 receiving yards on 93 receptions with 13 touchdowns in a shortened 2020 season. OIave tied a single season school record by averaging 7.1 receptions per game Wilson averaged a team-best 16.8 yards per receptions. They finished second and third, respectively, in the conference last year in receiving yards.
A senior from San Ysidro, Calif., Olave is a first team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and on the Watch List for the 2021 Maxwell Award as college football’s top overall player. He’s caught at least one pass in 20 of the last 21 games that he’s played in and currently ranks sixth in career TD receptions (22) and 16th in both career receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,775).
Wilson, a junior who hails from Austin, Texas, is a second team preseason All-American by the Sporting News and posted 43 receptions for 723 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore last season. She started the season with four straight 100-yard games, the second-longest streak in school history. His career totals include 73 receptions for 1,155 yards and 11 TDs in just 22 games.
One of the nation’s top returning tackles, Munford has stated 33 games over the last three seasons and played in 45 of 50 contests since 2017. A first-team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, his play – along with that of two other returning starters along the offensive line – helped the Buckeyes finish No. 7 in the nation in yards per game in 2020 (519.4) and No. 8 in rushing yards per game (256.8 yards/game).
The Big Ten Preseason Honors list was announced as Big Ten Media Days begin at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Ohio State’s contingent, which includes Munford, head coach Ryan Day, TE Jeremy Ruckert and DE Zach Harrison, meets the media on Friday.
2021 OHIO STATE FOOTBALL
Preseason Honors
CB Sevyn Banks
- Third-Team Preseason All-American: Phil Steele
DT Haskell Garrett
- Bednarik Award watch list
- First Team Preseason All-American: Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Phil Steele, Walter Camp Football Foundation
DE Zach Harrison
- Chuck Bednarik Award watch list
- Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list
- Third Team Preseason All-American: Athlon Sports
C Harry Miller
- Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee
OT Thayer Munford
- Big Ten Preseason Honors List
- First Team Preseason All-American: Athlon Sports, Walter Camp Football Foundation
Second Team Preseason All-American: The Sporting News
WR Chris Olave
- Maxwell Award watch list
- Big Ten Preseason Honors list
- First-Team Preseason All-American: Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Phil Steele, Walter Camp Football Foundation
WR Garrett Wilson
- Maxwell Award watch list
- Big Ten Preseason Honors list
- First-Team Preseason All-American: Athlon Sports
- Second-Team Preseason All-American: The Sporting News, Phil Steele