Ohio State wasn’t always celebrated as a quarterback factory, but the narrative has shifted dramatically in recent years.
In 2022, C.J. Stroud became the third consecutive Buckeye QB to be a Heisman Trophy finalist — twice — and joined Justin Fields and Dwayne Haskins as first-round NFL Draft picks. But which signal-caller leads Ohio State’s 10 greatest players at the position?
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Ohio State’s 10 Greatest QBs of All-Time
No. 10 Cardale Jones (2013-15)
Cardale Jones’ low placement is simply due to his limited playing time. But his iconic three-game run in 2014, which led to a national championship victory over Oregon, was arguably the greatest three-game run of any QB in college football history.
Jones took the reigns after starter J.T. Barrett suffered a season-ending injury in the regular-season finale against Michigan. Not only did the true sophomore finish “The Game” with a dub, but he defeated Wisconsin in the Big Ten title match and Alabama and Oregon in the College Football Playoff to hoist the natty trophy.
Oh, and Jones also owns one of the most memorable CFB canonical events in recent memory:
Ohio State QB Cardale Jones clarifies: when playing kid in hospital at video game, he didn’t win by 56.
He won by 63. pic.twitter.com/PvGbFRb0Wa— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 10, 2015
No. 9 Art Schlichter (1978-81)
Most of Art Schlichter’s post-CFB life has been defined by run-ins with the law, but when he was in Columbus, he was known for leading a dominant aerial assault. Across four seasons, he shattered program passing records (7,457 yards and 50 TDs) while leading the Buckeyes to three Big Ten championships.
Schlicther ranked in the top six among Heisman Trophy candidates three years in a row, redefining what success was at the position.
No. 8 Craig Krenzel (2000-03)
From the “Holy Buckeye” pass to running for 81 yards and two TDs in the national championship against the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes, Craig Krenzel’s collegiate career was framed by legendary moments.
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While his 28 TDs, 21 INTs, and 57% completion rate aren’t exactly jaw-dropping, his 24-2 record, first-team All-American recognition, and 3.75 GPA en route to a degree in molecular genetics are.
No. 7 Terrelle Pryor (2008-10)
Fans of the NCAA and Madden video game franchises certainly remember Terrelle Pryor. However, he wasn’t just a cheat code on the virtual field.
Pryor threw for 57 TDs to 26 INTs and ran for 2,000+ yards and 17 scores while leading the Buckeyes to two conference titles. He could take the top off the defense with either his cannon for an arm or his game-breaking legs.
Unfortunately, due to his role in Ohio State’s infamous tattoo scandal, Pryor’s 2010 production doesn’t officially count due to NCAA sanctions. Nevertheless, he finished his career as one of the most successful collegiate QBs, winning 31 of his 35 starts.
No. 6 Braxton Miller (2011-15)
While some remember Braxton Miller as the Ohio State QB who had to switch positions due to a serious shoulder injury, most Buckeyes fans remember him for what he did under center.
Miller left Columbus with 5,000+ passing yards, 52 passing TDs, 3,000+ rushing yards, 32 rushing TDs, 2011 Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors, 2012 and 2013 first-team All-Big Ten and Offensive Player of the Year recognition, and a spot in the record books as part of a school-record 24-game win streak between the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Miller’s most significant contribution was paving the way for over a decade of QB success that has reinvented Ohio State football.
No. 5 C.J. Stroud (2020-22)
Fifth place may seem too low to some, but C.J. Stroud committed a cardinal sin as Ohio State’s starter: failing to beat Michigan. Yet, that was pretty much all he did wrong, as he was a back-to-back Heisman Trophy finalist and completed 69.3% of his passes for 8,123 yards, 85 TDs, and just 12 INTs (that’s a 7:1 TD-to-INT ratio!) in his two seasons at the helm.
Of course, having future first-rounder WRs in Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba made life easier, but Stroud deserves his place as a top-five QB in Buckeyes history.
No. 4 Dwayne Haskins (2017-18)
The late Dwayne Haskins only started one season for the Buckeyes, but boy, was it a beauty.
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As a sophomore, Haskins broke Ohio State’s completion rate record (70%) and rewrote Big Ten marks with 373 competitions, 4,831 passing yards, and 50 TD passes. He became the first 2000s Buckeyes QB to be a first-round NFL Draft selection and helped cement the program’s dominance under center.
No. 3 J.T. Barrett (2014-17)
The winningest QB in school history (38-6), Barrett is synonymous with scarlet and gray success. He started for four seasons, which allowed him to walk to school records for career TD passes (104) and total yards (12,697). For those keeping count, that’s an average of 26 TDs and 3,174 yards per year.
That’s unheard of longevity at the collegiate level. Yet, Barrett accomplished something even more impressive: he is the only QB on either side of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry to go 4-0 in The Game. The Buckeyes’ first-ever three-time captain may not have played in the 2015 title match due to injury, but he paved the way for Jones’ ultimate victory.
No. 2 Justin Fields (2019-20)
Despite originally suiting up for the Georgia Bulldogs, Justin Fields made his collegiate mark with the Buckeyes — and it was a big one.
Fields went 20-2 as a starter across two seasons, amassing eye-opening numbers:
- 68.4% completion rate
- 5,701 passing yards
- 67 passing TDs
- 9 INTs
- 1,133 rushing yards
- 19 rushing TDs
With Fields at the controls, the Buckeyes didn’t lose a regular-season game and made the four-team College Football Playoff in two consecutive years. While they didn’t win the ultimate prize, Ohio State matched up against the best of the best, largely due to Fields’ presence under center.
No. 1 Troy Smith (2003-06)
66% completion rate. 2,542 yards. 30 passing TDs. Six INTs.
Those numbers may not be as gaudy as the numbers your typical collegiate passer produces nowadays, but in 2006, Troy Smith torched every defense he faced.
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In fact, those numbers were so good at the time that he received 91.6% of the Heisman votes, the second-highest margin in the award’s history and behind only OJ Simpson’s 1968 campaign. Smith remains the only Ohio State QB to own a Heisman Trophy, which is especially remarkable considering the standout signal-callers on this list.
Although Smith wasn’t able to bring home a national championship, he was able to knock off Michigan in all three of his games against them, which only solidifies his standing amongst the Ohio State faithful.
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