Is Julian Sayin falling back in Ohio State’s QB battle? With Will Howard going to the NFL, the offseason hype is pointing towards the former 5-star recruit as the clear front-runner to take over the Buckeyes’ starting role in 2025. But Ryan Day has made it clear that the starting role isn’t set in stone, saying that “it’ll be a fierce competition.” “Lincoln and Julian, and then Tavien. We’re excited to see those guys compete,” he said. But is it truly an open competition, or is Day simply maintaining appearance? Even though Sayin boasts impressive hype, OSU’s QB battle is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason. 

Let’s hear it from Julian Sayin himself. On February 24, Eleven Warriors caught up with him to gauge his thoughts on Ohio State’s QB situation. While he remained humble, his confidence was evident when he was asked how he was preparing for a potential starter role. “I think you just take it one day at a time,” he said. “I learned a lot from Will [Howard], he’s a great leader so I just take a lot from him, take a lot from the other guys in the QB room. We’re pretty close in that group, and so I think it’s good.” Sayin also revealed that having other guys vying for the No. 1 spot is “good.”

“We were all kind of able to learn from each other, take from each other, and it’s good having those guys,” Julian Sayin admitted. Despite Ryan Day’s insistence on an open competition, some analysts believe that Sayin already has a firm grip on the QB1 job. On3 analyst JD PicKell is high on his potential, saying, “When you talk about the future in Columbus, the thought for me though is with Julian Sayin out of high school. He was considered the most accurate cat in the entire class… Nick Saban wanted him.” Well, if the GOAT coach showed interest, why wouldn’t anyone else?

Sayin, the top-ranked quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, has shown sharp passing ability and impressive accuracy in both high school and Ohio State practices. However, his collegiate experience is limited. He completed only 5 of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in four game appearances as OSU’s third-string quarterback last season, playing primarily with backups. Consequently, while his potential is evident, he remains largely untested in meaningful college game situations. But there’s another analyst who shares PicKell’s perspective.

AYS Sports Blake Ruffino made a bold statement—“Until Ryan Day tells me that Julian Sayin’s not going to be the starting quarterback at Ohio State, Julian Sayin is the quarterback that I’m thinking that’s going to end here.” But wait, even though the hype is pointing towards him, Julian Sayin has a $1M threat coming from one of his QB competitions. 

The $1M threat — Tavien St. Clair

Julian Sayin is set to face a serious challenge from Tavien St. Clair. According to Bleacher Report, Ohio State’s starting nod could favor the freshman in 2025. He’s the No. 3 QB in the 2025 class and the No. 7 overall prospect per 247Sports. “St. Clair’s acclimation period will be critical to his chances; spring practice will be a sharp rise in competition for the Ohio native. It’s possible the Bucks see he simply needs time to develop in the background,” BR stated. “Until or unless that becomes a reality, though, St. Clair will be mentioned as a possibility to lead Ohio State’s aim at a repeat title.”

Tavien St. Clair holds a $1M NIL valuation just shy of Sayin’s $1.1M valuation. But the 2024 No. 3 QB is no slouch either. As a freshman, he completed five of 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in four games. So, Ryan Day’s quarterback dilemma is far from settled, with Lincoln Kienholz thrown into the mix too. With spring and summer workouts ahead, the Buckeyes’ QB battle will be one of the most watched storylines in college football. 

Will Julian Sayin live up to the hype and secure the starting job? Or will Tavien St. Clair’s rapid rise shake up Ohio State’s QB plans? Time will tell.