There are 17 days that separate us from Ohio State's march to Blacksburg. To help pass the time until the Buckeyes put the Sandman to bed I will countdown Ohio State's top 100 players according to the rubric* listed at the bottom of this article.

NO. 17 MERLE WENDT, END (1934-1936)
Born: 1915
High School: Middletown
Death: 2000

OHIO STATE CAREER

• The Buckeyes were 19-5 with Wendt on the team.
• 1935 Big Ten Title.
• Went 3-0 against That Team outscoring them 93-0.

HONORS

• 1936 Captain.
• 1936 All-American.
• 1936 All-Big Ten.
• 1935 All-American.
• 1935 All-Big Ten.
• 1934 All-American.
• 1934 All-Big Ten.
• 1981 Inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

NFL DRAFT
Round 6 to the Green Bay Packers with the 59th pick of the 1937 draft.

Merle Wendt's Ohio State career per Wikipedia:

Wendt was a starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1934 to 1936 and was captain of the 1936 team.

Wendt was five feet eleven inches tall, and weighed 190 pounds. He was described as "A great pass catcher, hard tackler and tops in defense."

Upon his selection as captain, one Ohio newspaper wrote: "A superb defensive man, the 188 pound flanker teamed with Gomer Jones, Cleveland, whom he succeeds at the Ohio helm, in leading the charge of the forward wall of Francis Schmidt's eleven."

Wendt was selected as an All-Western Conference end as a sophomore in 1934. He was also selected as a first-team All-American in 1934 by the International News Service—the Hearst newspapers wire service.

In 1935, Wendt was selected as a first-team All-American by Liberty Magazine and the Newspaper Editors Association.

[...]

Wendt played on Ohio State teams that defeated the Michigan Wolverines three straight years by a combined score of 93-0.

In 1936, Wendt was asked about his greatest thrill: "After no undue amount of deliberation Merle decided that his greatest thrill was the time he caught the winning touchdown pass against Michigan in 1934."

Wendt's life after playing football at Ohio State per Wikipedia:

Wendt had offers to play professional football from seven NFL teams, but opted instead to pursue a career in chemical engineering.

He married his wife, June Stone, six days after receiving his degree in chemical engineering. For many years, Wendt was the director of chemical engineering for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio.

For more information on other players who wore No. 18 go here.

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia
 

ALL PLAYERS COVERED TO DATE