Billy Price, Denzel Ward continue Ohio State's streak of first-team AP All-Americans

Get out the shovels, it’s time to plant some new buckeye trees, as today, it was announced that Ohio State Buckeyes Billy Price and Denzel Ward were named first-team All-Americans by the Associated Press. The honor was the second in as many years for Price. He was recognized for his play at guard last year before moving over to play center for 2017. This is Ward’s first All-America honor, in his first season as a starter. Sophomore defensive end Nick Bosa was named to the AP’s second-team.

In addition to earning All-American status for the second-straight year, Price also won the Rimington Trophy and the Big Ten’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award this postseason.

Earlier this month, Price set the school record for consecutive starts in a career, a total that currently sits at 54. Price will also tie the man he replaced at center, Pat Elflein, for the most games played by a Buckeye in the Cotton Bowl.

After being named to the All-Big Ten’s first-team, Denzel Ward picks up his first AP All-American honor. Though not the biggest physically, Ward uses his exceptional length and speed to shut down his quarter of the field. His 15 pass breakups and 17 defended passes are both good for third in the Big Ten, despite the fact that he was often out of the game by mid-third quarter due to OSU’s large leads. In addition to his stellar pass-defending stats, he also has recorded 37 total tackles, and hauled in two interceptions.

The pair of newly minted All-Americans makes a total of nine in the past five years for Ohio State, joining Ryan Shazier, Joey Bosa, Taylor Decker, Vonn Bell, Elflein, Malik Hooker, and Curtis Samuel.

Following in the foot steps of his big brother, Nick Bosa recorded 14.5 tackles for loss in his sophomore season, good for fourth best in the league; a ranking that his seven sacks match.