Ohio State picked up a major quarterback commitment for the future, landing Christopher Vargas, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2028 class.
According to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals.com, Vargas committed to the Buckeyes over Oregon, Virginia Tech and several other schools. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound quarterback is listed as the No. 1 QB in the 2028 Rivals300.
"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."
Vargas is from Danvers, Mass. and attends St. John's Prep in Massachusetts.
For Vargas, Ohio State's track record with quarterbacks clearly mattered. Ryan Day has built a reputation as one of the best quarterback developers in college football, and Vargas pointed to that approach as part of what pulled him to Columbus.
"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 resume with quarterbacks is hard to ignore. Since taking over as the sole offensive coordinator in 2018, he has helped Dwayne Haskins become a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, developed Justin Fields into a first-round pick in 2021 and guided C.J. Stroud to the No. 2 overall selection by the Houston Texans.
He has also had success with quarterbacks who were not taken near the top of the draft. Ohio State won a national championship with Will Howard at quarterback in 2024, and Howard was a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025.
Day is now trying to turn Julian Sayin into a first-round pick next April, with Tavien St. Clair expected to take over as the starter after that. Vargas, meanwhile, is still two seasons away from arriving in Columbus, but he could end up being the next big quarterback name in Ohio State's pipeline.
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