Malik Hooker, Raekwon McMillan, Tyquan Lewis named 1st team All-Big Ten Defense, per the media

With the Big Ten's defensive lineman of the year already in the fold in Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State reeled in more high praise from the league’s media Tuesday evening.

Joining Lewis on the 2016 All-Big Ten conference team are junior linebacker (and captain) Raekwon McMillan as well as safety Malik Hooker. Corner Marshon Lattimore was named to the all-conference first team by the coaches.

Lattimore was all-conference second team by the media while corner Gareon Conley was all second team by the coaches, and a third-team selection by the media panel.

Joining Conley for third-team honors were kicker Tyler Durbin, the Big Ten’s leader in scoring and kick scoring, who was named by both panels. Parris Campbell was also named to the third-team by coaches

Hooker was snubbed for the conference’s defensive player of the year award which instead went to Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers. The Ohio State safety recorded three interceptions for touchdowns on the season, having six total picks on the season. He would have had four, but one was called back for a block in the back.

Peppers was also the conference’s linebacker of the year over the likes of McMillan and more established, experienced linebackers at Wisconsin and Penn State. McMillan had 37 solo tackles, and 87 total tackles on the season, five of which went for loss, and one, a sack. Despite not padding the stats sheet, he had a great season quarterbacking the defense.

Michigan corner Jourdan Lewis was a worthy recipient at Big Ten defensive back of the year.

Honorable mentions included linebacker Jerome Baker, defensive tackle Michael Hill, defensive ends Jalyn Holmes and Sam Hubbard, as well as defensive backs Denzel Ward and Damon Webb.

Senior linebacker and captain Joe Burger was named the Big Ten’s sportsmanship award honoree.

While there’s always nitpicking about the specific awards and the order of the all-conference awards, with so many Buckeyes scattered throughout the conference’s media and coaches’ All-Conference team, it’s pretty easy to see how they shared the Big Ten East division crown and could be well on their way to a College Football Playoff berth.