Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. makes a reception against Arkansas State’s Kenneth Harris during a September game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Harrison Jr. was named a first team All-American by The Associated Press on Monday.
Don Speck | The Associated Press
COLUMBUS — Marvin Harrison Jr. is Ohio State football’s first consensus All-American receiver in 27 years, and his drive for unanimous recognition continues.
Harrison was the lone Buckeye voted first team All-American by The Associated Press. Along with his previous recognition from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America, he became the first receiver to make three of the five major lists since Terry Glenn in 1995.
Harrison can achieve unanimous All-America distinction if he makes first team from both The Sporting News (Tuesday) and the American Football Coaches Association.
Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones were the tackles on the AP second team. Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Ronnie Hickman also made second team.
Harrison rose up in the prolonged absence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba to become a major star. He ranks third nationally with 12 touchdown catches and fourth among Power 5 receivers with 1,157 yards. He posted six games of 100 or more yards — including 185 on 10 catches at Penn State — and three multi-touchdown games.
Harrison already became OSU’s first finalist for the Biletnikoff Award — given to the nation’s top receiver — since Glenn won it in 1995. Many talented and productive receivers — including David Boston, Michael Jenkins, Santonio Holmes, Parris Campbell, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson — had not broken through into the upper echelon of national recognition.
Only Boston (1998) and WIlson and Olave (2021) were honored as first-team choices by even one of the five major lists. Cris Carter, in 1986, remains OSU’s only other consensus All-America receiver besides Glenn and Harrison.
Johnson Jr., who made the Walter Camp and FWAA first team lists, is the only other Buckeye who can achieve consensus All-America status this year.
Harrison became OSU’s first consensus All-Americans since Wyatt Davis (unanimous) and Shaun Wade in 2020. He is the first recognized as a true sophomore since Joey Bosa in 2014.
Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was one of three Southern California players selected.
Offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu joined their quarterback to give USC more players on the first team than any other school.
The Trojans also had center Brett Neilon and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon selected to the third team.
Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was selected to the first team for the second straight season, along with Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn, who made it as an all-purpose player for the second year in a row.
Joining Williams in the All-America first-team backfield is Texas running back Bijan Robinson and Michigan’s Blake Corum.
Michigan also had center Olusegun Oluwatimi and kicker Jake Moody picked for the second team.
The second-ranked Wolverines face No. 3 TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. The Horned Frogs’ lone first-team All-American was defensive back Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. TCU quarterback Max Duggan and guard Steve Avila made the second team.
Top-ranked Georgia placed two players on the first-team defense with tackle Jalen Carter and safety Christopher Smith. Tight end Brock Bowers and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson were second-team selections.
The Bulldogs face No. 4 Ohio State in the CFP’s Peach Bowl semifinal on New Year’s Eve.
