Ohio State Buckeyes Make Unsurprising Depth Chart Decision Behind Julian Sayin

Losing Lincoln Kienholz to the most recent NCAA Transfer Portal window likely came as no surprise.

However, replacing him as the backup to Julian Sayin quickly became an important adjustment for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Fortunately, as spring practices and workouts begin to ramp up, the Buckeyes appear to have identified who that No. 2 quarterback will be behind Sayin: redshirt freshman Tavien St. Clair. Last season, he sat behind both Sayin and Kienholz, putting together a year of development and adjustment to the college game.

"Every rep I was given, I just made the most of it," he said. "I want to instill confidence in my teammates around me and my coaches around me. I think I took a step in that direction. I'm just really ready for whatever opportunity comes."

St. Clair was a stud in high school, and it was only a matter of time before he earned a chance to move up the depth chart behind Sayin.

Across his four-year high school career, he threw for 10,694 yards and 104 touchdowns. In his senior season, he was arguably one of the top offensive threats in Ohio. He finished that year with 2,536 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air, while also showcasing mobility with nine rushing touchdowns.

It wasn't just individual performance, though, as what he did as the starting signal caller led to his high school going 9-3 with a small run in the state playoffs before leaving for Columbus.

His only moment on the field for Ohio State so far came against Grambling State, where the Buckeyes won 70-0. He threw two passes, completing neither.

Ohio State's High Belief in Him

The praise for St. Clair should come as no surprise, even if he hasn't showcased much at the college level just yet, as he was officially initiated into the program just a few months into the 2025 season. On Oct. 7, 2025, his black stripe was removed ahead of the Buckeyes' matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Ohio State's director of player development, C. J. Barnett, was heavily complimentary of the then-true freshman.

"This guy has the makings of a great one. He's intelligent, athletic and a cannon for an arm. Welcome to the Brotherhood, Tavien St. Clair," Barnett said.

That belief in St. Clair continued to be shared by the coaching staff as the season went on. In late November, head coach Ryan Day followed Barnett's comments with some praise of his own.

“[He's] making some good throws," Day said after a November practice. "He has the potential, and he’s gaining on it every day."

Day was later asked about St. Clair's development path and how sitting out a year and redshirting could benefit him moving forward. He compared the Bellefontaine native's trajectory to that of Arvell Reese, who is viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“Now look how much it’s paid off (for Reese). It’s the same thing here with Tavien,” Day said. “I think it is paying off, and his attitude has been excellent...”

As St. Clair becomes more involved in everyday activities with the Buckeyes, he will continue to grow his on-field and locker-room presence, with a potential starting job up for grabs after the 2026 campaign.

"However long it takes, I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be here," St. Clair said about taking over the starting spot. "I am learning a ton of things behind Julian. I'm just continuing to grow and add things to my bag that I can add to my skill-set from Coach Day's knowledge and Coach Fessler's knowledge.

"I'm just looking forward to growing."