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5 Buckeyes are Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans

The Highland County Press - Staff Photo - Create Article
Pictured are (top row, l-r) Tyleik Williams and Emeka Egbuka and (bottom row, l-r) Quinshon Judkins, Caleb Downs and Denzel Burke. (Ohio State University photos)
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Ohio State University, Press Release

Five Ohio State Buckeyes were named to the 2024 Walter Camp Preseason All-America teams, as announced recently. The group of Buckeyes are led by DL Tyleik Williams (first team), WR Emeka Egbuka (first team), RB Quinshon Judkins (second team), SAF Caleb Downs (second team) and CB Denzel Burke (second team).

The Buckeyes' five honorees are the most of any team in the country. Alabama and Notre Dame had four selections, while Georgia and Michigan checked in with three.

A second team All-America selection in 2023 by Walter Camp, Williams, a senior, is coming off a breakout season last fall. He was sixth on the team, and first among defensive linemen, in tackles with 53 and tied for the lead in tackles-for-loss with 10. His five pass breakups ranked third on the team.

Egbuka, also a senior, enters the 2024 campaign needing 78 receptions to break K.J. Hill's school record of 201, set between 2016-19. He also needs 1,041 receiving yards to break the yardage career record of 2,898 yards currently held by Michael Jenkins (2000-03). His career numbers entering the 2024 season include 124 career receptions for 1,857 yards and 14 touchdowns. Despite missing three full games last season, he caught 41 passes for 515 yards and scored four touchdowns.

Judkins was a star at Ole Miss the last two seasons, having rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns in 26 games for the Rebels. A two-time first team All-SEC performer and the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year, he will team with TreVeyon Henderson to form one of the most dynamic – and experienced – backfields in the country this fall. Judkins and Henderson have a combined 5,470 career rushing yards and 81 touchdowns scored.

Downs, who spent his freshman season at Alabama, was the Shaun Alexander national freshman of the year for the Tide when he became the first player in school history to lead the team in tackles, totaling 107 stops with 3.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, five passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Burke has started all 35 games he has played in the past three years and could surpass William White (46 starts between 1984-87) for the school record for starts by a cornerback. Her enters his senior season with 28 career passes defended (26 pass break-ups and two interceptions); his 26 career PBUs ranks sixth in Ohio State history. The program record of 36 PBUs is held by Bradley Roby (2011-13).

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