The Associated Press took its turn in the All-American release chair on Monday and once again, Ohio State's best players received recognition.
Center Pat Elflein, safety Malik Hooker and do everything player Curtis Samuel earned first-team nods from the media giant. Guard Billy Price, punter Cameron Johnston and middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan are on the second team. The six representatives are tied with Alabama for most on the AP's three All-American teams and the most among all Big Ten schools. Michigan was second with three and Wisconsin third with two selections.
Elflein, the 2016 recipient of the Rimington Trophy, and Hooker are now considered consensus All-Americans by the NCAA's standards. In order for a player to earn that status, he must appear on at least three first team All-America ballots from the following outlets: Sporting News, Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association. Hooker and Elflein found their names on the first teams as released by the Sporting News, Walter Camp and on Monday, the Associated Press.
There is a chance both players could become unanimous All-Americans as well, should Elflein and Hooker receive first-team recognition by the FWAA and AFCA. Those teams are due out this week. Hooker and Elflein were also named ESPN All-Americans on Monday and placed on the first-team by Sports Illustrated and USA TODAY last week
Taylor Decker and Joey Bosa were consensus All-Americans last year. Bosa was a unanimous All-American in 2014, the last Buckeye to receive that honor.
Full Associated Press All-American teams:
| OFFENSE | DEFENSE | SPECIALISTS |
|---|---|---|
| QB: LAMAR JACKSON, LOUISVILLE | DE: MYLES GARRETT, TEXAS A&M | K: ZANE GONZALEZ, ARIZONA STATE |
| RB: DALVIN COOK, FLORIDA STATE | DE: DEREK BARNETT, TENNESSEE | P: MITCH WISHNOWSKY, UTAH |
| RB: D'ONTA FOREMAN, TEXAS | DT: ED OLIVER, HOUSTON | AP: CURTIS SAMUEL, OHIO STATE |
| WR: DEDE WESTBROOK, OKLAHOMA | DT: JONATHAN ALLEN, ALABAMA | |
| WR: COREY DAVIS, WESTERN MICHIGAN | LB: JABRILL PEPPERS, MICHIGAN | |
| TE: EVAN ENGRAM, MISSISSIPPI | LB: REUBEN FOSTER, ALABAMA | |
| T: CAM ROBINSON, ALABAMA | LB: ZACH CUNNINGHAM, VANDERBILT | |
| G: CODY O'CONNELL, WASHINGTON STATE | CB: JOURDAN LEWIS, MICHIGAN | |
| C: PAT ELFLEIN, OHIO STATE | CB: ADOREE' JACKSON, USC | |
| G: DAN FEENEY, INDIANA | S: MINKAH FITZPATRICK, ALABAMA | |
| T: RYAN RAMCZYK, WISCONSIN | S: MALIK HOOKER, OHIO STATE |
| OFFENSE | DEFENSE | SPECIALISTS |
|---|---|---|
| QB: DESHAUN WATSON, CLEMSON | DE: DEMARCUS WALKER, FLORIDA STATE | K: DANIEL CARLSON, AUBURN |
| RB: CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY, STANFORD | DE: HAROLD LANDRY, BOSTON COLLEGE | P: CAMERON JOHNSTON, OHIO STATE |
| RB: DONNELL PUMPHREY, SAN DIEGO STATE | DT: CARLOS WATKINS, CLEMSON | AP: QUADREE HENDERSON, PITTSBURGH |
| WR: ZAY JONES, EAST CAROLINA | DL: MONTRAVIUS ADAMS, AUBURN | |
| WR: JOHN ROSS, WASHINGTON | LB: RAEKWON, MCMILLAN, OHIO STATE | |
| TE: JAKE BUTT, MICHIGAN | LB: T.J. WATT, WISCONSIN | |
| T: CONNOR WILLIAMS, TEXAS | LB: TIM WILLIAMS, ALABAMA | |
| G: BILLY PRICE, OHIO STATE | CB: RASUAL DOUGLAS, WEST VIRGINIA | |
| C: TYLER ORLOVSKY, WEST VIRGINIA | CB: DESMOND KING, IOWA | |
| G: WILL HERNANDEZ, UTEP | S: BUDDER BAKER, WASHINGTON | |
| T: ORLANDO BROWN, OKLAHOMA | S: JAMAL ADAMS, LSU |
| OFFENSE | DEFENSE | SPECIALISTS |
|---|---|---|
| QB: BAKER MAYFIELD, OKLAHOMA | DE: HUNTER DIMICH, UTAH | K: GARY WUNDERLICH, MISSISSIPPI |
| RB: SAQUON BARKLEY, PENN STATE | DE: JORDAN WILLIS, KANSAS STATE | P: MICHAEL DICKSON, TEXAS |
| RB: AARON JONES, UTEP | DT: CHRISTIAN WILKINS, CLEMSON | AP: CHRISTIAN KIRK, TEXAS A&M |
| WR: AMBA ETTA-TAWO, SYRACUSE | DT: SOLOMON THOMAS, STANFORD | |
| WR: AUSTIN CARR, NORTHWESTERN | LB: JIMMIE GILBERT, COLORADO | |
| TE: O.J. HOWARD, ALABAMA | LB: KENDELL BECKWITH, LSU | |
| T: MIKE MCGLINCHEY, NOTRE DAME | LB: BEN BOULWARE, CLEMSON | |
| G: NICO SIRAGUSA, SAN DIEGO STATE | CB: TEEZ TABOR, FLORIDA | |
| C: ETHAN POCIC, LSU | CB: CORDREA TANKERSLEY, CLEMSON | |
| G: QUENTON NELSON, NOTRE DAME | S: NATHAN GERRY, NEBRASKA | |
| T: FORREST LAMP, WESTERN KENTUCKY | S: WESTON STEELHAMMER, AIR FORCE |
