Ohio State QB Julian Sayin Earns Immense Prediction

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin has landed a massive prediction heading into his first season as a starter.
Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin and quarterback Lincoln Kienholz warm up prior to the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Ohio Stadium.
Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin and quarterback Lincoln Kienholz warm up prior to the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Will Howard just led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship, but unfortunately, the quarterback's stay at Columbus will be brief.

Howard used up his final year of eligibility in 2024 and will be making the jump to the NFL this April, which leaves a major question for Ohio State under center.

Or does it?

Julian Sayin—who was a true freshman this season—will be taking over for Howard in 2025, and the hype around the youngster is already palpable.

Sayin is a five-star recruit, and Bleacher Report's Brad Shepard is expecting big things from him next year.

"He patiently waited behind Will Howard as a true freshman in 2024 while the one-year stopgap led the Buckeyes to the national title. But Sayin has the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks ever for a program known for developing guys under center," Shepard wrote. "Yes, he has that potential. Not only is he super-intelligent, but he's also got a big arm and terrific leadership. He has all the traits and skill set to wow NFL scouts sooner rather than later."

That is one heck of a projection for Sayin, who will absolutely have an incredible amount of pressure on him heading into his debut campaign.

Not only is Sayin following in the footsteps of Howard, who just cemented himself a Buckeyes legend, but let's be honest: there are always high expectations for Ohio State, and those expectations get magnified when you're the quarterback.

Sayin saw brief playing time this past season, going 5-for-12 with 84 yards and a touchdown.

We'll see what the 19-year-old has in store for everyone in 2025.


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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.