Scarlet Sunrise: Emeka Egbuka included on preseason watch list for Biletnikoff Award

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Emeka Egbuka on watch list for Biletnikoff Award

Another day, another preseason award watch list for Ohio State superstar wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. And this is a big one.

A year after former Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. won the award, Egbuka is on the preseason watch list for it. He’s the only Buckeyes receiver to be included — Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and freshman Jeremiah Smith were not.

Egbuka was previously named to the preseason watch lists for the Hornung Award, given annually to the most versatile player in college football, as well as the Walter Camp Player of the Year award and the Maxwell Award, each of which are given out to the most outstanding player in the country by different organizations.

Bottom line: expect the senior receiver to be a star this year after a 2022 season that saw him go over 1,000 receiving yards and a 2023 campaign that was cut short by injury.

This year, he might even be the best pass-catcher in college football.

Buckeyes freshman safety Jaylen McClain sheds black stripe

Ohio State freshman safety Jaylen McClain, an early standout during the first few days of training camp, shed his black stripe after Buckeyes practice on Wednesday. That stripe removal signals that he’s officially a member of the football program and has been wowing coaches in practice.

McClain had already impressed in bursts during spring ball back in March and April. But he carried that into the offseason that was filled with workouts and now has continued to be a factor early in training camp.

Lettermen Row even noted McClain in each of our ‘observation notebooks’ when we were permitted to watch Buckeyes practice last weekend. He caught our staff’s eye in each session.

ICYMI: Pair of Buckeyes star tailbacks on preseason watch list for Doak Walker Award

The 2024 Doak Walker Award candidates were announced ahead of the college football season on Tuesday. The Doak Walker Award is given to the country’s top tailback at the end of the season.

Ohio State has two of the best backs in the country, so of course, both have been named to the preseason watch list for the award.

Last year’s winner, Oklahoma State star Ollie Gordon, returns to defend his award and attempt to win it for a second time in a row.

Both senior back TreVeyon Henderson and third-year back, and former Ole Miss superstar, Quinshon Judkins are on the preseason watch list. They make up the best duo of backs in the sport. Oregon is the only other Big Ten school with two tailbacks on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award.

This comes just one day after Judkins was named to the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award watch list.

Full coverage of latest at Buckeyes training camp

Ohio State had Monday off after practicing four straight days to end last weekend. But the Buckeyes were back to work on the practice field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday and Wednesday to get into the heat of training camp.

Following that practice, Lettermen Row and the rest of the Ohio State media were able to speak to linebackers coach James Laurinaitis and five of the linebackers on roster, as well as running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and all four scholarship running backs on this Buckeyes roster.

We’ve got full coverage below.

READ: Buckeyes freshman safety Jaylen McClain sheds black stripe

WATCH: Updating progress of Buckeyes tailbacks, linebackers in early stages of camp | Ohio State football

READ: Destructive, disruptive C.J. Hicks developing as well-rounded linebacker for Buckeyes

READ: True freshman RBs James Peoples, Sam Williams-Dixon ready to step up in 2024

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 23 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 114 days

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