Five Buckeyes have earned high honors from the Associated Press at the midway point of the college football season.
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, safety Caleb Downs and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith were all named first-team AP midseason All-Americans on Thursday. Defensive linemen Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald took home second-team honors.
Reese has emerged as perhaps the best linebacker in college football through six games, and his recognition as a midseason first-teamer is further proof of that. He leads the Buckeyes in tackles with 38 and is second in sacks with 4.5, playing in a variety of spots on the field, including traditional off-ball linebacker, on the edge as a rusher and in the B-gap on the line of scrimmage.
Downs was a unanimous All-American in 2024, and his momentum hasn't slowed in 2025. The engine of Ohio State's defense, Downs has 28 tackles and an interception.
Smith continues to be the best receiver in college football, even if his stats have just been great and not nation-leading in 2025. He's been a major decoy for the Ohio State offense even when he's not getting the ball, freeing up other weapons for big plays. He has 40 receptions for 505 yards and seven touchdowns.
.@AndyAnders55 asked Jeremiah Smith about the play where five Minnesota defenders bit on the play-action fake to the star wide receiver, freeing up Carnell Tate to make a great move in single coverage for a 44-yard touchdown:
— Josh Poloha (@JorshP) October 9, 2025
"When that happened, I seen all them run at me, I pic.twitter.com/yvpmLYgjIm
Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald have emerged as the anchors of the Ohio State defensive line at defensive end and defensive tackle, respectively. Curry has a team-high six sacks with 31 total tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, while McDonald has racked up incredible production for a nose guard with 26 tackles, six TFLs and three sacks.
Ohio State’s five total selections are the most of any school. The Buckeyes tied Texas A&M for the most first-team selections.
