Three Buckeyes Ranked as Top-50 Players in America
The Buckeyes expectations for 2020 are sky-high for several reasons, but the conversation always begins with Justin Fields. Fields is one of the premier players in college football and was a Heisman finalist last season. On Tuesday, 247 Sports debuted their list of the top 50 players in the country, which included Fields and two of his teammates. Justin Fields (3), Wyatt Davis (14), and Shuan Wade (47) were all selected among the country's best players.
You can see the entire list here.
The list, which is headlined by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, featured Fields as the closest skill player to challenge the former National Champion passer from the ACC. Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell was ranked second.
As the highest ranked Big Ten player, perhaps Fields’ ranking warrants more pressure to replicate his 2019 campaign when he earned the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. Lawrence and Fields certainly headline the 2020 Heisman Trophy race in what should end up being an odd year for College Football.
Aside from Sewell’s standing as the second best player in college football, Davis was the only other offensive linemen ranked within the top 15. In 14 games started last season, Davis did not surrender one quarterback sack or QB hit all year (according to PFF College). Davis was named to the Outland Trophy watch list last week, which is awarded to the best interior offensive linemen in the country.
Despite being potentially the first cornerback drafted next year, Wade just cracked the list with his No. 47 overall ranking. Six defensive backs (including four listed cornerbacks) were ranked ahead of Wade on the 247Sports list. The incoming junior was named to the Bednarik Award, Jim Thorpe Award, and Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch lists last week.
Nine rival players made the list from the Big Ten. Perhaps Ohio State’s biggest challenger for the conference championship, Penn State, also had three players recognized. Linebacker Micah Parsons was the next highest player ranked from the Big Ten behind Fields, at No. 6 overall.
Alabama, Clemson, and LSU were the only other schools to have two players within the top 15. The Crimson Tide had the most players ranked with six — all within the top 26. Michigan had no players ranked.
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