The Ohio State QB battle is never-ending. And Ryan Day’s dilemma could stretch till summer. After all, this is about the future of the Buckeyes offense. Who will it be? A 5-star transfer with sky high expectations or a home-grown phenom with a million-dollar NIL valuation? 

Right now, Julian Sayin looks like “that guy,” as ex-OSU CB Denzel Burke said. He didn’t transfer from Alabama to Columbus just to sit. And the hype is there from both players and analysts. He’s “one of the most accurate quarterbacks” that Will Howard has come across. On3 Pete Nakos also sees him as the “real deal.” His experience at Carlsbad was remarkable—72% completion rate for 7,970 yards and 86 scores to just 10 interceptions. Last season, he even took home the Elite 11 MVP honors. That’s the kind of QB a national championship team looks for. But Ohio State’s QB room isn’t that simple. 

The million-dollar question is—Can true freshman Tavien St. Clair shake up the depth chart? The 6’4 Bellefontaine product went from an under-the-radar recruit to the next big thing. He’s the No. 3 QB in the 2025 class with a $1M NIL valuation. And as J.D. PicKell noted in a new episode on On3 on March 17, “It’s going to be a battle.” “Tavien St. Clair is a stud true freshman who’s going to factor,” he said. “And it sounds like to some degree they’re going to give him his fair share of reps to be able to compete for that job.” His production last season—2,536 yards and 29 scores—adds to his case. 

Tavien St. Clair wasn’t a transfer portal addition. He was originally sought after by Ohio State right from the start. He’s the first in-state signee since Joe Burrow, and his rise from a 3-star QB to a five-star phenom is nothing short of impressive. J.D. PicKell previously picked Julian Sayin as the presumed starter for the Buckeyes offense. “I suppose on this group, I want Julian Sayin to be the guy throwing Jeremiah Smith the football,” he said. But there’s still the competition factor. 

This is something to do with what Ryan Day said earlier—“Lincoln and Julian, and then Tavien. We’re excited to see those guys compete.” There’s going to be a “fierce competition.” But here’s what the national analyst thinks—“Ryan Day, even when you know who the QB’s going to be, he doesn’t typically name the guy until right around mid August.” This is a strategy he used with both Justin Fields and CJ Stroud. But the QB situation is leaving room for one more possibility, an unthinkable one.

Could Ryan Day add more dilemmas to OSU’s QB room? 

It’s not just Julian Sayin and Tavien St. Clair vying for the top spot in Columbus. OSU faithful Lincoln Kienholz is in the mix too, though his path seems murkier. But there’s one common theme that applies to these QBs—they’re lambs when it comes to college football, with no starting experience. So that leaves one more possibility brought forward by a Fox Sports analyst. 

The question is if Ohio State should bring in a seasoned CFB QB. “For Ohio State, do you need a veteran presence at quarterback? No,” RJ Young said. “Do you want a veteran presence at quarterback? Yes.” While the portal isn’t deep with options, he went on to suggest Georgia transfer QB Jaden Rashada. A far-fetched possibility? Maybe. But anything could happen. 

Julian Sayin might hold the edge now. But with Tavien St. Clair catching up and an unproven QB room, nothing about Ryan Day’s dilemma is set in stone.