Taylor Decker, Vonn Bell named 1st team AP All-Americans

Their place in Buckeye Grove already secure, Taylor Decker and Vonn Bell were each recognized as first team AP All-Americans on Sunday. In a sea of All-America honors,  the AP is arguably the most notable outside the consensus All-America team compromised of players named to three of the AP, AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News, and the WCFF All-American teams.

Ohio State's requirements for a tree in Buckeye Grove aren't quite as stringent as even required to be a consensus All-American. The school recognizes first team All-America status from any "mainstream" outlet, meaning even some less relevant than they used to be or fringely recognized All-America team honors can mean Buckeye immortality. That goes well beyond the five listed above.

But that doesn't include all of the all-time great Buckeyes.

While John Simon notably cleaned up on in-conference honors, he was snubbed, even by some newer online and other lesser known outlets, meaning he doesn't have a tree in the area just outside Ohio Stadium honoring Buckeyes who were first team All-Americans.

Ezekiel Elliott, Pat Elflein, and Joey Bosa received second-team All-America honors from the AP as well.

Congrats to all five on phenomenal careers as Buckeyes. OSU faithful are surely hoping they get one more year of Bell in the scarlet and gray.