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Trio of Buckeyes land on preseason watch list for Maxwell Award

Spencer-Holbrookby:Spencer Holbrook•07/29/24•

SpencerHolbrook

Emeka Egbuka by Matt Parker -- Lettermen Row --
Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka makes a one-handed grab in the spring game. (Matt Parker/Lettermen Row)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has one of the most talented rosters in all of college football, and the Buckeyes are beginning to show up in droves on preseason award watch lists.

The Maxwell Award, given to the best player in all of college football, released its annual preseason watch list on Monday, and three Buckeyes superstars landed on the list. They’ll open the season with Maxwell Award aspirations.

Former Kansas State star Will Howard, the presumed Buckeyes starting quarterback and former Big 12 champion with the Wildcats, is on the Maxwell Award preseason watch list. He enters camp this week in the middle of a battle with third-year Ohio State quarterback Devin Brown. Whoever wins that battle will have sky-high expectations and will be tasked with leading this high-powered offense to great heights. Howard is the favorite to win the job, so he’s on the watch list for the Maxwell Award.

Then there’s former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, the former two-time All-SEC tailback who transferred to Ohio State and is now showing up on the watch list for the Maxwell Award. After back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for the Rebels, he will team up with third-year Ohio State back TreVeyon Henderson to form the best backfield in the country. Both backs have high expectations to meet, and the folks handing out awards like Judkins enough to make sure he’s included.

Finally, the Maxwell Award preseason watch list includes Ohio State superstar senior receiver Emeka Egbuka. After posting 1,151 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, Egbuka battled an ankle injury last year and still posted good numbers. He chose to return to the Buckeyes as the top receiver on the roster rather than heading for the NFL Draft. He’s expected to be the best weapon in the receiver room — and maybe on the offense. The Maxwell Award watch list reflects that.

This Ohio State team is absolutely loaded heading into this season. As more preseason award watch lists trickle out, Buckeyes players will be littered throughout most — if not all — of them.

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