Buckeyes populating college football watch lists

Ohio State has only six starters back total on offense and defense, but the Buckeyes are still all over the preseason watch lists for college football.

The latest to be announced were Friday with quarterback J.T. Barrett and linebacker Raekwon McMillan included in the watch list for the Walter Camp Award, a national player of the year honor.

Also announced Friday was the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award. Ohio State receiver Dontre Wilson made that list. The honor goes to the nation’s most versatile player.

Earlier this week, McMillan and Dante Booker saw their names show up on the list for the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top linebacker. McMillan, a junior who was a finalist for the award last year, is entering his second year as a starter while Booker is set to begin his first.

McMillan was previously named to the watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Awards while Barrett is up for the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award.

Eight Buckeyes are on a 2016 watch list so far as Punter Cameron Johnston (Ray Guy Award), offensive linemen Pat Elflein (Rimington Trophy, Outland Trophy) and Billy Price (Outland) and defensive end Tyquan Lewis (Bednarik, Nagurski) join those already mentioned.

The Maxwell Award goes to the country’s best player while the Rimington honors the best center. The Outland goes to the top interior lineman, the Bednarik and Nagurski honors are for the best defensive player, and the nation’s top quarterback gets the O’Brien award.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has already named Barrett, Elflein and McMillan captains for the 2016 season, and the trio will represent the Buckeyes at the annual Big Ten Football Media Days later this month.

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