Buckeyes Now

Ohio State Wide Receiver Garrett Wilson Named To Paul Hornung Award Watch List

The award is given to a player who "selflessly takes on the burden of playing multiple positions."

Andrew Lind

Ohio State junior wide receiver Garrett Wilson was among the 57 players named on Thursday to the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which is presented to college football’s most versatile player.

A former five-star prospect from Austin (Texas) Lake Travis, Wilson has caught 73 passes for 1,155 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career with the Buckeyes. He’s also made a small impact on special teams, returning 21 punts for 137 yards.

Wilson, who was also named to the Biletnikoff and Maxwell Award watch lists, played in the slot last season but will move back to outside receiver this fall thanks to the emergence of sophomore wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

“I just think it’s really good for my development to tie in playing slot last year and then playing outside this year. Just being able to build my skill set to be able to play both,” Wilson said this spring. “Personally, I want to be someone that you can put anywhere on the field.”

The award named after former Notre Dame quarterback, halfback and placekicker Paul Hornung, who also played basketball for the Fighting Irish. He was once called “the most versatile man to ever play the game” by legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi.

Other Big Ten wide receivers named to the preseason watch list include Indiana’s D.J. Matthews, Maryland’s Jeshaun Jones, Michigan State’s Jayden Reed, Northwestern’s Stephon Robinson Jr., Penn State’s Jahan Dotson, Rutgers’ Aron Cruickshank. Spartans running back Connor Heyward also made the list.

No Ohio State player has won the Paul Hornung Award in its 11-year history. The winner of this year’s award will be announced at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards show on Dec. 9.

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Andrew Lind
ANDREW LIND

Andrew Lind is an Ohio State beat writer and photographer at BuckeyesNow, founder of The Ohio State Uniform Database and the NCAA and NFL writer at SportsLogos.net.

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