Ohio State football has a new starting quarterback as it prepares to repeat as national champions in 2025.
Replacing Will Howard will be difficult, as the former Kansas State transfer performed admirably down the stretch for the Buckeyes before getting selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, who was named Ohio State’s starter two weeks before the season began, will have some of the top weapons in college football, as the Buckeyes return All-American Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, with James Peoples expected to start at running back.
Ohio State opens the season at home against No. 1 Texas, which will put Sayin to the test in his first career start.
Who is Ohio State’s quarterback?
Sayin, a redshirt freshman, will start for Ohio State against Texas in Week 1, coach Ryan Day stated on August 18.
Sayin, a former five-star prospect, was one of Will Howard’s reserves last season alongside Devin Brown and played little as a true freshman. He transferred from Alabama in the spring, just before his rookie season, after former Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban announced his retirement.
Sayin is noted for his pocket presence and arm talent, both of which Texas coach Steve Sarkisian praised when questioned about Sayin’s selection as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.
“Ton of respect for Julian,” Sarkisian stated of Sayin on August 18. “… Excellent player. Elite passer. Very good arm skill. Extremely rapid release. This man is quite accurate. Obviously, he is surrounded by powerful weapons. He’s the type of guy who can use those weapons in a proper system. So it’s a huge problem.”
Julian Sayin 247 ranking
- Star rating: 5 stars
- National ranking: No. 6 overall
- Positional ranking: No. 1 QB
- State ranking: No. 1 player from California
As the top-ranked quarterback and sixth-ranked player nationally in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, Sayin brings a formidable lineage to the Buckeyes. Additionally, he was named MVP of the Elite 11 finals, which each summer invite the top high school senior quarterbacks in the country.