{
  "id": 1407251,
  "title": "Two Ohio State football players named ESPN preseason All-Americans",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/two-ohio-state-football-players-named-espn-preseason-all-americans",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T03:21:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/two-ohio-state-football-players-032121832.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two Ohio State football players have been named preseason All-Americans by ESPN, joining a select group that includes special teams players. Freshman pass receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin made the First Team. Smith, known for his exceptional speed, explosiveness, and size, recorded 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He is considered the best all-around player in college football entering the 2026 season. Sayin, who took over as the starting quarterback a year ago, led the country in passing accuracy with a 77% completion rate in his freshman season. He threw for 3,610 yards, 42 touchdowns, and displayed situational poise in his debut campaign. With a more challenging schedule and a new offensive system, Sayin is expected to improve even further in the 2026 season, supported by Smith and a promising running game.",
  "summary": "ESPN released its 2026 preseason All-American team last week and two Ohio State players were honored.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "This recognition for Smith and Sayin signals Ohio State's continued strength in football, with a standout freshman class poised to make a significant impact in the upcoming season.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}