By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland.com) —
Ohio State seniors James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins will make a trip to Florida regardless of where the Buckeyes wind up in their bowl game.

The two will take part in the Home Depot ESPNU Awards on Dec. 11 in Orlando, it was announced today.

Release on Award finalists

Middle linebacker Laurinaitis is one of three finalists for the Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player, along with Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin and USC linebacker Rey Maualuga.

Cornerback Jenkins is one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, along with Tennessee’s Eric Berry and USC’s Taylor Mays.

Laurinaitis is a Bednarik finalist for the third straight year but has never won the award. He was previously announced as one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award, which is not part of this awards show. He also remains in the running for the Butkus Award, which announces its finalists this week.
Laurinaitis won the Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive player in 2006 and the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in 2007.

Jenkins has been talking about the Thorpe Award since before the season as one of his goals. He’s hoping to join Antoine Winfield as the only OSU players to win the award, which was created in 1986.

Jenkins and Laurinaitis also could be named to the Walter Camp All-American team honored that night. There are nine individual player awards to be handed out. Besides Laurinaitis, Jenkins and Maybin, the only Big Ten players in the running are for the Doak Walker Award for the best running back, with Iowa’s Shonn Greene and Michigan State’s Javon Ringer joined by Georgia’s Knownshon Moreno as finalists.

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