The Ohio State Buckeyes will face the challenge of finding their third starting quarterback in as many seasons in 2025 as Will Howard heads to the 2025 NFL Draft after exhausting his eligibility.
With Devin Brown and Air Noland entering the transfer portal, the Buckeyes’ QB depth chart is thin, but it still boasts two young, highly talented quarterbacks eager to seize the starting role.
What Does the Ohio State QB Room Look Like Ahead of the 2025 College Football Season?
Julian Sayin (Freshman)
Julian Sayin is the presumed starter for the Buckeyes in 2025. A unanimous five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, he initially signed with the Alamaba Crimson Tide in Dec. 2023 but entered the transfer portal after Nick Saban retired in Tuscaloosa.
While the Buckeyes could explore the portal again in 2025, Sayin’s decision to stay at Ohio State hints that he is the favorite for the starting job. As a freshman in 2024, he appeared in four games as the third quarterback on the Buckeyes’ depth chart, completing five of his 12 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown.
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Ranked as the top quarterback and the sixth overall player in the 2024 recruiting class by 247 Sports, Sayin entered Columbus with high expectations.
The MVP of the 2023 Elite 11 Finals, the former Carlsbad High School standout finished his high school career with 7,824 passing yards, 85 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, earning the title of California’s No. 1 recruit.
Tavien St. Clair (Incoming Freshman)
Tavien St. Clair looks to be the natural challenger to Sayin for the starting job in 2025.
The five-star recruit and third-ranked quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class heads to Colombus with high hopes and large expectations.
An Elite 11 finalist and invitee to the 2025 Navy All-American Bowl, St. Clair threw for 2,536 yards and 29 touchdowns in his senior season, bringing his high school career totals to over 10,000 passing yards and 100 touchdowns.
The 6’4″, 225-pound Bellefontaine Chieftains quarterback boasts a strong arm and exceptional accuracy, and he’ll be ready to step in if Sayin doesn’t meet expectations during spring camp.
Lincoln Kienholz (Sophomore)
2025 will mark Kienholz’s third season at Ohio State, and he has expressed a desire to either start or serve as a backup in the future. However, after being fourth on the QB depth chart in 2024, he faces an uphill battle to secure the starting role in 2025, especially with talented five-star recruits on the roster.
This has fueled speculation that Kienholz may enter the transfer portal. Speaking to the media at the Rose Bowl, the backup quarterback said, “I haven’t decided yet. We’ll see. But I love Ohio State, and I would love to stay here.”
A multi-sport athlete, the former T.F. Riggs High School quarterback was the 172nd-ranked recruit in the 2022 class and appeared in three games in 2023, completing 10 of 22 passes for 111 yards.
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