Ohio State just picked up a major future win at quarterback, landing Christopher Vargas, the No. 1 signal-caller in the 2028 class.
According to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.com, Vargas committed to the Buckeyes, choosing Ohio State over Oregon, Virginia Tech and several other programs. The 6-foot-4 quarterback from Danvers, Mass. attends St. John’s Prep in Massachusetts.
Vargas explained his decision to Rivals.com’s Steve Wiltfong by pointing to the program and its staff. "Just the coaching staff and the place they're at, the culture, they have everything that is great for me and the right fit for me," Vargas said of his decision, via Rivals.com's Steve Wiltfong. "I think Ohio State is the place that can develop me the best."
He also singled out Ryan Day’s approach as a major factor. "I think it's because of the mindset he brings to the game," Vargas added.
"It's not just throw you in there; you have to go play under fire. He develops you into that best person and best player you want to be."
Day’s quarterback track record is hard to miss. Since taking over as the sole offensive coordinator in 2018, he has helped develop Dwayne Haskins into a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, then guided Justin Fields into a first-round pick in 2021 after Fields arrived during Day’s first season as Ohio State head coach.
C.J. Stroud followed and went No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans.
The success has continued even when the quarterback path hasn’t been as direct. Day won a national championship with Will Howard at quarterback in 2024, and Howard was a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025.
Ohio State is still working through its current quarterback future as well. Day is trying to turn Julian Sayin into a first-round pick next April, while Tavien St. Clair is expected to be the starter next season.
Vargas is still two seasons away from arriving in Columbus, but he already looks like a huge addition for Ohio State’s long-term quarterback pipeline.
In Other News...
Drew Allars Costly Mistakes Still Haunt Penn States Collapse
Penn States 2025 season never really recovered from the kind of moments that can tilt an entire program, and the quarterback play at the center of it keeps looking worse in hindsight. Drew Allars interceptions in big games became part of the story as the Nittany Lions slid from playoff hopes into a stretch of losses that ultimately ended with James Franklins firing after the Week 7 defeat to Northwestern, a result that sent shockwaves through a team built to contend.
The collapse was not about one bad afternoon, but the memory that lingers is how often Penn State found itself undone in the biggest spots. After a 54-day search, the program turned to Matt Campbell as its new head coach, hoping to reset the direction of a team still trying to move past the decisions and missed chances that helped define the end of Franklins run. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Camp Buzz Is Building Around Two Key Position Battles
Penn States 2026 camp is barely underway, but the first 11-on-11 work has already given the staff a clearer look at a few players trying to carve out roles before the opener against Marshall. Among the early standouts are Iowa State transfer receiver Eskildsen, defensive lineman Ikenna Ezeogu, quarterback Alex Manske and versatile option Rappleyea, each of whom has flashed enough in camp to draw attention from coaches as the roster starts to take shape.
The most interesting early camp developments have come in the places where Penn State still needs answers, especially on offense, where receiver depth and quarterback depth are always under the microscope. Eskildsens transition has been one of the louder storylines, while Manskes return after missing spring practice has added another layer to the quarterback picture, and both players are part of a group that appears to be pushing for bigger responsibilities as camp continues. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Kalani Sitake Pursuit Looks Different After BYUs Costly Bet
Kalani Sitakes new deal at BYU has changed the way any outside pursuit would have to be viewed, even if Penn States interest in him predated the Nittany Lions hiring Matt Campbell. BYU did not just reward its coach with an extension, it made a major financial commitment by pushing his annual salary from $4 million to $10 million while also spending more on assistants and the roster, a clear sign it intends to keep pace in a sport where money increasingly shapes the coaching market.
Still, Sitake has not sounded entirely comfortable with the gap he sees around him, pointing to the financial limits BYU faces compared with other programs in the Big 12 and across the power conferences. For Penn State, that matters because the school was part of the conversation once upon a time, and the bigger question now is how a program with its own deep resources would have framed the chase if it had pressed harder before Campbell took the job. [Read more 🡒]