Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s defense is well-represented on national preseason watch lists, with cornerback Denzel Burke, safety Caleb Downs, and defensive end Jack Sawyer among 90 players named to the Bednarik Award watch list, which honors the best defensive player in college football. Burke and Downs have been particularly notable, each earning spots on four different preseason watch lists. Along with the Bednarik Award, they are also being considered for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (another award for the best defensive player), the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back), and the Lott IMPACT Trophy (a defensive player who makes a significant impact on and off the field).
While Burke and Downs are garnering widespread attention, Jack Sawyer is making his first appearance on a preseason watch list. Despite being left off the Nagurski and Lott lists in favor of his teammate JT Tuimoloau, Sawyer is expected to be a standout defensive end in 2024. His strong finish to the 2023 season, where he recorded 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in the final three games, has set the stage for high expectations.
These three defensive stars make Ohio State one of only five schools with three players on the Bednarik Award watch list, joining Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, and Notre Dame in this distinction.
On the linebacker front, C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles are battling to be Ohio State’s starting Will linebacker, and both have been named to the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, which honors the best linebacker in college football. Despite neither having started a game at linebacker for Ohio State, their selection highlights their tremendous potential. Both were five-star recruits in the 2022 class, and each is poised to make a significant impact at the second level of the Buckeyes’ defense.
Styles, who started 12 games at safety last season, appears to have the edge in the competition for the starting Will linebacker role after taking most of the first-team reps during preseason practices. However, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles emphasized that the competition between Hicks and Styles is close, and both are expected to play significant roles in the defense this season. The winner of the battle will line up alongside Mike linebacker Cody Simon, described as the “unquestioned leader” of the unit by
In total, Ohio State now has 14 players on preseason watch lists for national awards. This includes quarterback Will Howard, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive linemen Josh Fryar, Donovan Jackson, and Seth McLaughlin, defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, cornerback Denzel Burke, safety Caleb Downs, and linebackers C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles.
The release of the Butkus Award watch list marks the final announcement of preseason watch lists by the National College Football Awards Association, signaling the start of a highly anticipated season for Ohio State football.
