‘Sayin Has Experience’: College Football Analyst Believes Ohio State Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin Needs to Better in 2026
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There were many things that went right for the Ohio State Buckeyes last season. They started the season 12-0. It appeared as if head coach Ryan Day made the right move by starting Julian Sayin as quarterback over Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair. There was no quarterback controversy all season long. Sayin was very good during the first 12 games of the season.
However, when they had to face the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes, Sayin struggled to make plays in the pocket. He is going to have to improve against tougher competition in 2026. Sayin did complete 77.0% of his passes for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions a season ago. His numbers don’t tell the whole story despite his completion percentage being very high last season. Four of his eight interceptions were thrown in the final three games of the 2025 college football season. He also struggled against the Michigan Wolverines.
Bill Connelly believes that Ohio State Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin needs to be better in 2026
Bill Connelly of espn.com previewed the upcoming 2026 college football season for the BIG10 Conference. One of the most polarizing teams in the entire country is no doubt Ohio State. They always have high expectations. The Buckeyes won the national title two season ago. Connelly thinks that Sayin is going to need to be better next season.
He said, “Now it’s time for the training wheels to come off. Sayin has experience, as does sophomore running back Bo Jackson, one of the nation’s better backs (and a huge yards-after-contact presence) by the end of the season. Sayin has a vastly experienced line in front of him — three starters return, including two All-Big Ten performers (guard Luke Montgomery and tackle Austin Siereveld) — and he, of course, still has Jeremiah Smith. The junior receiver will enjoy his last dance in Columbus after having produced 2,558 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns in two seasons.
Smith will need some new dance partners, as Jackson and senior Brandon Inniss are the only other returnees targeted more than five times last year. But between transfer receivers Devin McCuin (UTSA) and Kyle Parker (LSU), transfer tight ends Hunter Welcing (Northwestern) and Mason Williams (Ohio) and five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr., someone excellent probably will emerge.” It helps that Sayin will have Bo Jackson in the backfield and an elite wide receiver to throw too. Smith is the best wide receiver in college football.
2027 NFL Draft
One of the major things about Sayin will be is did his pocket presence improve? If it did improve, then this team will be very good once again. He also has to produce against better competition.
The 2026 college football season is going to be big for Sayin because he could be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. Some of the names that could be also selected in the first round are Arch Manning from the Texas Longhorns and Dante Moore from the Oregon Ducks. If Sayin does not play well against Texas, Indiana, and some other big-time programs, there will be questions about him being a first-round selection or not.
NFLdraftbuzz.com has Sayin ranked as the second-best quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. The only quarterback ranked ahead of the Buckeyes star is Moore. Manning, Drew Mestemaker of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and C.J. Carr from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish round out the top five. If Sayin improves against better competition this season and leads Ohio State back to the playoffs, then he will be a first-round selection.
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