Marvin Harrison Jr. a unanimous All-American for 2nd time

Ohio State University wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has cemented his place among the all-time greats and the rarest of rare talents … regardless of position … at Ohio State and within the Big Ten Conference.

On Thursday, Harrison was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, an honor that completes a sweep of the five major All-American teams this year and grants him the honor of unanimous All-American for the second consecutive season.

Being a unanimous All-American is a remarkable achievement. A two-time unanimous All-American? Nearly unthinkable. Truly. It has happened only 10 times previously among Big Ten Conference players. Harrison is thus the 11th in the Big Ten to be a two-time unanimous All-American. He is only the third wide receiver and he is the second Big Ten player in 27 years to be so honored.

The list of two-time unanimous All-Americans in the Big Ten is beyond impressive. Five of them are Buckeyes. The list:

2022 and 2023 – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR / Ohio State
2018 and 2019 – Jonathan Taylor, RB / Wisconsin
1995 and 1996 – Orlando Pace, OL / Ohio State
1989 and 1990 – Tripp Welborne, SAF / Michigan
1984 and 1985 – David Williams, WR / Illinois
1981 and 1982 – Anthony Carter, WR / Michigan
1967 and 1968 – Leroy Keyes, HB-DB / Purdue
1974 and 1975 – Archie Griffin, RB / Ohio State
1965 and 1966 – George Webster, LB / Michigan State
1960 and 1961 – Bob Ferguson, FB / Ohio State
1954 and 1955 – Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, HB / Ohio State.

Note: Nebraska center Dave Rimington was a two-time unanimous All-American in 1981 and 1982 when Nebraska was a member of the Big Eight Conference.

Also on Thursday, Harrison was honored with the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award, presented annually to the player considered the best in the Big Ten Conference. The Silver Football has been awarded since 1924 and Harrison is the 23rd Buckeye to win the award and the first Ohio State wide receiver.

This season, Harrison caught 67 passes for 1,211 yards and scored 15 touchdowns (14 receiving; one rushing). He was clearly the best player on the field in virtually every game, if not every game … judging by the coverages opponents played against him or his raw stats, which included eight 100-yard games and touchdowns in 10 of 12 games. He capped the regular season by scoring at least one touchdown in the final eight games.

The post-season honors for Harrison were like that of a Heisman Trophy winner:

• Heisman Trophy finalist

• Biletnikoff Award

• Chicago Tribune Silver Football

• Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

• Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year

• Unanimous First-Team All-American (Associated Press, AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp and The Sporting News).