Three Ohio State players named to Lombardi preseason watch list

The college football world has had a slew of preseason award watch lists dropped on it lately, and there’s been plenty of representation from Ohio State on almost all of them. One of those is the Lombardi Award, handed out annually to college football’s best offensive or defensive lineman or linebacker. The award is named after famed NFL coach Vince Lombardi and has been awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas, since 1970, when all-time Buckeye offensive lineman Jim Stillwagon took home the first award.

Ohio State will be looking to add to its record of six Lombardi winners, with a trio of OSU players on the 2026 preseason watch list. In fact, it’s the same three players that appeared on the Outland Trophy preseason watch list: center Carson Hinzman, and fellow offensive linemen Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery.

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Siereveld, a two-year starter who was thrust into action during Ohio State’s 2025 College Football Playoff national championship run, is heading into his redshirt junior season and was arguably the best Ohio State lineman last season. He was solid at left tackle, but may be moved to another position to get the best five guys on the field together. No matter where he plays, he should be the anchor of the line again and will be among some of the best offensive linemen available in the NFL draft next April.

Hinzman, now entering his fifth year, grabbed the starting spot at center in 2023, moved to guard to start the 2024 season, but then was the starting center again for the national championship run when Rimington winner Seth McGlaughlin was lost for the season with injury. The Wisconsin native was then the unquestioned starter at center last season and was an AFCA First Team All-American and Third Team All-Big Ten. He is also on the Rimington preseason watch list for the best center in college football.

Montgomery, like the other two, also carved out a piece of his legacy during the national championship run in 2024. He started the last two games of Ohio State’s run and gained the confidence of the coaching staff to start all 14 games last season on the interior. He will be counted on to be another All-Big Ten-type performer. He is entering his junior season having already started 16 total games on the offensive line and appeared in 28 total games.