Joel Klatt thinks Julian Sayin is ready to climb into elite territory in 2026, but the Ohio State quarterback still has one glaring habit to clean up if the Buckeyes want the offense to hit its ceiling.
Klatt ranked Sayin as the No. 10 player in the country heading into the season, and he made it clear that the next jump for the first-year starter has less to do with talent and more to do with how he chooses to play. In Klatt’s view, Arthur Smith needs to push Sayin to be more aggressive when the downfield chance is there instead of defaulting to the safe throw.
"I think his next step in his maturation as a quarterback is to take those shots down the field. I think the other area that hurt them is the fact that he's not a very big guy … the short yardage issues for Ohio State were a thing," Klatt said.
Klatt also sees Ohio State as an offense built to carry a team. In his words, "This is likely going to be an offensive-led team.
This is one of - if not the best - offenses in college football. Led by Sayin.
He's calm, cool and collected. He learned some lessons late last year… I think he's going to be better for it as he moves into his second year as starter."
The production was already there in 2025, at least in flashes. Sayin finished with 16 completions of 40-plus yards, a total that tied for third in the nation.
With Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate consistently creating separation, the quarterback had a lot of room to work. The next question is whether Chris Henry Jr. can give Ohio State something similar to what Tate brought on the outside so Sayin can keep the passing game humming.
There’s also help potentially arriving inside. LSU transfer Kyle Parker had a standout spring and could end up being the first transfer receiver in the Ryan Day era to truly change games in the slot.
Still, Klatt’s bigger point is about rhythm and restraint. Sayin does not need to live on checkdowns, even if Smith’s offense will feature plenty of designed running back and tight end screens. The better version of this attack, Klatt believes, comes when the running game sets up the deep ball and Sayin takes advantage of the chances that open up.
That also means Sayin using his legs more often, but in the right way. He has already said he wants to do that more, and Klatt believes that would help both the offense and Sayin’s long-term profile. Many view him as an NFL prospect, but he still needs to prove he can be more than a quarterback who struggles to threaten defenses outside the pocket.
When he does move, it does not have to be reckless. Picking the right moments to extend plays or pick up yards with his legs could make him tougher to defend and force linebackers to pay more attention to spying him. That would free up even more room for the weapons around him.
For Ohio State, it all comes back to the same idea: Sayin doesn’t just need to manage the offense. He needs to expand it. If he does, there’s a generational weapon waiting on the other side.
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