Ohio State is projected to have two of college football’s top linebackers and two of the nation’s top defensive backs in 2025.
Safety Caleb Downs and cornerback Davison Igbinosun are among 50 preseason nominees for the Jim Thorpe Award, which honors college football’s top defensive back, while Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese are among 51 linebackers on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award.
Ohio State is one of eight schools with two defensive backs on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list along with Boise State, Duke, Georgia, Iowa State, Kennesaw State, Ohio and Texas. Downs and Igbinosun make the list as Ohio State’s only two returning starters in the secondary from last season.