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Four Buckeyes make PFF Preseason All-America Team

Wilson and Munford were both among the first-team selections on offense.
Wilson and Munford were both among the first-team selections on offense. (© Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

A handful of Buckeyes were honored as part of the Pro Football Focus Preseason All-America Team Monday, with four Ohio State players recognized as first-team honorees, and another making the cut as an honorable mention.

On offense, senior wide receiver Chris Olave, junior wide receiver Garrett Wilson and fifth-year senior offensive tackle Thayer Munford were each named first-team selections.

ALSO: Harrison the highest-ranked returning Power 5 defender per PFF

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Olave led the Buckeyes with 50 receptions, 729 yards and seven touchdowns last season despite missing the Big Ten Championship Game due to COVID-19, and surprised many with his decision to return to school for another year. Olave is widely projected as a mid-first-round pick in next year's NFL draft.

"Olave has generated a step or more of separation on over 87 percent of his targets since 2019, the highest rate in the country," PFF wrote. "Against single coverage over the past two seasons, he has racked up 15 receptions of 15-plus yards in which he had more than a couple of steps of separation, trailing only Alabama's DeVonta Smith for the most in the FBS (19) and was five more than the next-best Power Five receiver."

Wilson's production was nearly identical to Olave's own in 2020, as the Texas native pulled in 43 catches for 723 yards and six scores a season ago, beginning his true sophomore season with four-straight 100-yard receiving performances.

Munford, who enters his fourth year as Ohio State's starting left tackle in 2021, had the finest season of his career in 2020, having fully recovered from a back injury that had hampered him in years past. Munford has the highest PFF grade among all returning tackles in college football, with a mark of 91.8 last year.

"Munford stood strong against quality pass-rush units, such as Michigan, Clemson and Alabama, and displayed tremendous processing speed against stunts and blitzes all year long," PFF wrote. "Over 264 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed just three pressures, none of which were sacks or hits on quarterback Justin Fields. In turn, his pressure rate allowed was half a percentage point lower than any other Power Five left tackle."

On defense, the lone first-team selection for the Buckeyes was 2020 PFF and CBS Sports All-American defensive tackle Haskell Garrett, who returns for a fifth-year with Ohio State in 2021 much like Munford.

RELATED: Olave, Munford, Garrett named preseason Walter Camp All-Americans

Garrett may be the most established star on the Buckeye defense in 2021, following a season in which the Buckeyes finished No. 6 in the nation in run defense with Garrett spearheading efforts on the interior of the Ohio State defensive line.

"Garrett broke out in a big way in 2020, earning an astounding 88.9 pass-rush grade that trailed only Alabama's Christian Barmore — a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — for the best in the Power Five," PFF wrote. "Garrett may have generated only 18 pressures in eight games, but he won consistently. In fact, his 17.9 percent win rate also trailed only Barmore for the best mark in the Power Five. He is a force of nature with heavy hands, bound to wreak havoc again in 2021."

The aforementioned fifth Buckeye to earn recognition, albeit as a honorable mention, was senior defensive end Tyreke Smith, who started opposite Jonathon Cooper on the edge of Larry Johnson's defensive line last season, and is expected to once again in 2021.

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