Ohio State lands on five preseason award watch lists as Henry Jr. dazzles in first scrimmage

Ohio State emerged from its first fall training camp scrimmage on Saturday with a wave of preseason recognition, as Buckeyes players appeared on five major college football award watch lists and head coach Ryan Day offered enthusiastic praise for first-year wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.

Day lit up visibly when asked about Henry Jr. following the scrimmage, drawing attention to the 6-foot-5, 210-pound receiver who had also shed his black stripe during spring practice, signaling his early integration into the program. Henry Jr. was one of five freshmen to officially become a Buckeye through the black-stripe ceremony, joining Brock Boyd in the spring and Jay Timmons, Luke Fahey, and five-star defensive lineman Khary Wilder in the fall.

Award Watch Lists Pile Up for Ohio State

On the awards front, Ohio State's offensive line drew the bulk of the recognition. Center Carson Hinzman was named to both the Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy preseason watch lists. The Wisconsin native has started at center in each of the past two seasons, earning AFCA First Team All-American honors last year, and is considered one of the top centers in college football heading into 2026. Guards Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery joined Hinzman on the Outland Trophy list, which is awarded annually by the Football Writers Association of America to the nation's best interior lineman. Ohio State last won the award in 1996 when Orlando Pace claimed it.

Transfer placekicker Connor Hawkins, who arrived from Baylor via the transfer portal, was named to the Lou Groza Award preseason watch list. Hawkins made 18 of 22 field goals at a rate of 81.8 percent last season — leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage — and connected on all 37 extra point attempts. His long of 54 yards would represent a rare feat for Ohio State's kicking game, which has struggled with clutch misses in recent years. The Groza Award has been presented since 1992 to the nation's top placekicker; Mike Nugent in 2004 remains the only Buckeye to have won it.

Northwestern transfer tight end Hunter Welcing rounded out Ohio State's preseason watch list presence, earning a spot on the John Mackey Award list for the nation's most outstanding tight end. Welcing, entering his redshirt senior season, caught 28 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns at Northwestern last year and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. Ohio State has never produced a Mackey Award winner. All five awards — the Rimington, Outland, Groza, Mackey, and others across college football — are scheduled to be announced December 11 on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show.