COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Ohio State Buckeyes were announced Monday as Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
Ohio State’s honorees, the most of any school in the country, included quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back TreVeyon Henderson and cornerback Denzel Burke.
The three make up the ninth, 10th and 11th FWAA Freshman All-Americans for Ohio State. The organization has been making the list since 2001.
The only other time the Buckeyes had three honorees came in 2016 with running back Mike Weber, offensive lineman Michael Jordan and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones.
Stroud, the redshirt freshman who entered the season without a pass attempt, ended the year as the Big Ten Conference’s top offensive player and a Heisman Trophy finalist.
He finished the season with 4,435 yards passing, a single-season record completion percentage of 71.9% and 44 touchdowns with six interceptions.
Stroud’s efficiency rating of 186.6 in an Ohio State single-season record and his yardage and TD totals are second.
Following the regular season, Stroud was named the league’s Quarterback of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year.
Stroud finished the year with a 573-yard passing performance and six touchdowns in a comeback win over Utah in the Rose Bowl.
As a Heisman Trophy finalist, Stroud became the fourth Buckeye in the last four years to earn a trip to New York City.
Henderson, a true freshman, burst onto the national scene by rushing for 270 yards, the most ever in a game by a Buckeye freshman, in a victory over Tulsa.
He passed Archie Griffin, who set the previous record 49 years earlier with 239 yards against North Carolina in 1972.
Henderson went on to finish with 1,248 yards and averaged 6.8 yards per carry for 13th best nationally and tied for first in the Big Ten.
He scored 19 total touchdowns (15 rushing, four receiving), setting a new freshman single-season record in that category.
His yardage total is second-most ever by a freshman, topped only by the 1,403 that J.K. Dobbins ran for in 2017.
Burke became the first true freshman to start the season opener on defense in 25 years at Ohio State since Andy Katzenmoyer did it in 1996.
He led the Buckeyes with 12 pass breakups and had 36 tackles. His pass breakups ranked second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally.
His lone interception on the year was returned for a touchdown at Rutgers.
Burke was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and received honorable mention honors from the media.
Ohio State’s All-Time FWAA Freshmen All-Americans
- 2021 – QB C.J. Stroud
- 2021 – RB TreVeyon Henderson
- 2021 – CB Denzel Burke
- 2016 – RB Mike Weber
- 2016 – OL Michael Jordan
- 2016 – DL Dre’Mont Jones
- 2014 – QB J.T. Barrett
- 2013 – DE Joey Bosa
- 2008 – C Mike Brewster
- 2004 – PR Ted Ginn Jr.
- 2002 – RB Maurice Clarett