Ohio State heads toward 2026 with a quarterback room that looks like one of the safest bets on the roster. The Buckeyes may have questions elsewhere, but this is not one of them.
Julian Sayin sits at the top, Tavien St. Clair gives the room serious upside, and Justyn Martin adds another layer of depth.
Sayin is the clear headliner, and his 2025 season came with both eye-popping production and a few rough edges. He was excellent against lesser opponents, but in Ohio State’s three games against the best teams on the schedule, he had trouble in the biggest moments. Even so, the numbers were loud: a nation-best 77 percent completion rate, 3,610 passing yards, 32 touchdown passes, and a finish that ranked 10th, fourth, and first nationally in those categories, respectively.
His biggest outings came against Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Penn State, when he topped 300 passing yards and threw at least three touchdowns in each game. The next step is straightforward: do that against elite competition, too. Ohio State will give him plenty of chances, with three Top-5 teams on the schedule next season.
If Sayin makes that jump, he’ll be right in the Heisman Trophy mix and could also push himself into the conversation for a top pick in next year’s NFL Draft. And if that happens, the Buckeyes will be where they want to be as well, back in the hunt for a National Championship.
Behind him, St. Clair is the name that has people buzzing in Columbus.
He arrived as a five-star recruit last cycle, ranked No. 4 overall in the country, No. 2 among quarterbacks, and No. 1 in Ohio out of Bellfontaine. Because he redshirted last season, this year is the first one that counts toward his eligibility.
Ohio State does not need to force him onto the field, but the talent is obvious. In his first live action during the Spring Game in April, St.
Clair showed he can make every throw and brings an athletic profile Buckeye fans haven’t seen since Justin Fields. If and when he takes over the offense, the Buckeyes will have a different kind of weapon at quarterback.
Martin rounds out the room as a transfer who has already bounced through three schools in four seasons. He started at UCLA for two years, then moved to Maryland, where he spent last season without taking a snap.
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