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Julian Sayin #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The Ohio State Buckeyes are entering the 2026 college football season as one of the top National Championship contenders in the nation. A lot of those hopes will depend on the throwing arm of standout quarterback Julian Sayin.

Last year, Sayin was a first-year starter. He capitalized on that opportunity by being a Heisman Trophy finalist and leading the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff.

Unfortunately, Ohio State fell victim to the Miami Hurricanes in the team’s first playoff game.

Despite losing in the playoff, the Buckeyes have a lot of excitement about the 2026 season. Sayin is returning, as is star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The offense should be among the best in the nation.

Keeping that in mind, Sayin has received a new take from a notable analyst that has him facing even more pressure to live up to the hype entering the year.

Ohio State’s Julian Sayin Named Best QB in the Country

ESPN’s Greg McElroy has revealed his quarterback rankings for the start of the 2026 season. Sayin sits atop the class.

“He finished last year with a remarkable 3,600 passing yards, 32 touchdown passes, and eight interceptions,” McElroy said. “The completion percentage is one of the best in the history of the FBS. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He was the Big Ten freshman of the year.”

Sayin also received some advice from McElroy on how to improve. He wants to see the young signal caller use his legs more often.

“You see a defensive end beat the blocker, collapse the pocket. You see Julian Sayin take off, tuck the ball, and run for a touchdown,” McElroy said. “His rushing numbers from a year ago were in the negatives. He did not have a single rushing touchdown at Ohio State. But the first play he made with his legs was in the spring game.”

Sayin Beat Out Plenty of Other Elite Quarterbacks

McElroy picked Sayin out of a large group of talented quarterbacks this season.

Among the other candidates are Texas’ Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, and Oregon’s Dante Moore. Landing atop the list shows just how talented Sayin is and the high expectations put in place for him.

Pro Football Focus analyst Daire Carragher has released a way-too-early 2027 mock draft. In that mock draft, he had Sayin ending up being the No. 1 overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals.

Sayin is facing a lot of pressure and extremely high expectations entering the 2026 season. If he plays up to his ability, the Buckeyes should end up being a top-tier championship contender. Hopefully, he’s up to the task.