When it comes to preseason watch lists for national awards, Ohio State can't stop, won't stop.
On Tuesday, offensive tackle Donovan Jackson, defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., defensive end JT Tuimoloau and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg were among 80 players named to a watch list for the Lombardi Award, an honor presented to the best lineman (or linebacker) in college football.
4 Buckeyes make the Lombardi Award Watch List
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 15, 2023
@MichaelHallJr_ | @D_jack78 | @tommyike41 | @JT_Tuimoloau pic.twitter.com/Ajn9vi3792
The Big Ten led all conferences with 19 players named to the watch list, followed by the SEC (14), Big 12 (12), Pac-12 (11) and ACC (11). Ohio State's four nominees tied with Michigan to lead the Big Ten. Penn State had the league's third-most representatives with three nominees.
Jackson became a first-year starter for the Buckeyes in 2022 after a season as Ohio State's sixth offensive lineman in 2021. The former No. 1 overall guard in the class of 2021 was named a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last season and will look to step into a leadership role inside Ohio State's retooled offensive line room in 2023.
Hall burst onto the scene last season in Ohio State's season opener – a 21-10 win over Notre Dame – as the Streetsboro, Ohio, native had four tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Across 12 appearances in 22, Hall collected 19 tackles, a team-best 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.
Tuimoloau has made 26 appearances across two years with the Buckeyes. He ended the 2022 season with 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Those numbers were bolstered by one of the best individual performances in college football history when Tuimoloau recorded two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown in Ohio State's 44-31 win over Penn State.
Eichenberg had a breakout season at Ohio State. He recorded a team-best 120 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups, one interception and one touchdown across 13 appearances. Even more, he racked up some of those numbers as he played with two broken hands. After the season, Eichenberg received first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors.
With Eichenberg's appearance on the Lombardi Award watch list, the senior linebacker extends his lead for the most preseason watch list nominations on Ohio State's roster with six. Tuimoloau and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka are tied for the second-most nominations with four, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has the third-most with three.
Overall, Ohio State has had 14 players named to preseason watch lists for various awards in August. We have collected all of those nominations and included them below:
Ohio State Players on Preseason Watch Lists
- WR Marvin Harrison Jr.: Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Walter Camp Award
- WR Emeka Egbuka: Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award, Walter Camp Award
- G Donovan Jackson: Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award
- G Matt Jones: Outland Trophy
- DT Mike Hall Jr.: Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award
- DE JT Tuimoloau: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award
- LB Tommy Eichenberg: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Butkus Award, Walter Camp Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award
- LB Steele Chambers: Butkus Award
- S Lathan Ransom: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Jim Thorpe Award
- P Jesse Mirco: Ray Guy Award
- TE Cade Stover: Mackey Award
- RB TreVeyon Henderson: Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award
- RB Miyan Williams: Doak Walker Award
- CB Denzel Burke: Jim Thorpe Award
