After losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State head honcho Ryan Day went to work immediately, bringing in a new OC and double-digit transfers with a motive to run it back in 2026. The Buckeyes’ status as national title favorites is backed by tangible proof: Julian Sayin’s elite passer rating.
On February 1, PFF released its annual list of the highest-rated returning passers for 2026. Guess who tops the list? Julian Sayin, with a 92.9 grade. Truth is, it’s not even close. Guys like Oregon Ducks’ Dante Moore and Brendan Sorsby are trailing Sayin with 90.5 and 89.2, respectively.
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After a 2025 season where Sayin posted a historic 77.0% completion rate and an elite 182.1 passer rating, he’s officially the guy defenses are terrified to face. Having a superstar who only had a tiny 1.4% turnover-worthy play rate makes the Buckeyes an easy bet for the natty.
Since he finished fourth in the voting last year as a redshirt freshman, he’s starting this season as a massive favorite, with +900 odds to take home the trophy.
While his Heisman odds are strong, they aren’t the highest. Fans and media members are obsessed with his connection with superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith. Their connection is already being hailed as one of the best QB-WR duos in college football. Because he’s so calm under pressure and makes such smart decisions, analysts and scouts agree he’s basically a “pro” already playing on Saturdays.
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While he is not eligible for the NFL Draft until 2027, scouts are already calling him a Round 1 trajectory player. He’s being projected as a top-five overall pick because of his elite “processing speed.” That’s just scout talk for saying he reads defenses faster than anyone else in college.
With 17 talented players coming in from the portal and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith introducing a pro-style scheme to Columbus, everyone seems to agree that Sayin is headed for an incredible 2026 season. It’s a season that could very well bring both a Heisman Trophy and a national championship.
However, his former safety blanket from last season gave his 2 cents about the team during a Senior Bowl media session.
Will Kacmarek admits the 2024 playoff run left him feeling overlooked
Former Ohio State TE Will Kacmarek was a two-star recruit with one college offer. He made the most of it, becoming a reliable blocker. His hard work earned him a transfer to Ohio State, though he wasn’t a big-name player. However, things didn’t go as planned, and it became alarming. The team already had many star players in place, and he didn’t get much playing time at first.
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“I’ve definitely been frustrated at times,” Kacmarek said during his exclusive interview with Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports. “But I came to a point where I just had to play where the team needed me, and I took pride in that role. I had a lot of impact on the success of the team.”
Instead of dwelling on his limited role, he stayed eager and prepared for his chance. That opportunity finally came during the team’s exciting 2024 playoff run. Kacmarek played a vital behind-the-scenes role in their journey to the championship. Coaches regard him as one of the top blocking tight ends in the country. He’s similar to Kyle Juszczyk; his strength in the pros is in doing the tough, gritty work in the trenches as an in-line tight end.
He helped block some of the best defensive players, like Jordan Burch, to help the team execute its schemes. Plus, he was the second-most-used tight end in the last three games of that playoff run. The Buckeyes’ tight ends coach, Keenan Bailey, knew he was just as important as anybody on that roster during their natty run.
“You go back to our playoff run and just pull like the biggest plays, I bet you 89 was at the point of attack,” Kacmarek said.
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However, his 2025 season didn’t build on the momentum from their championship run. This had mostly to do with the play-calling and different schemes, and the emergence of Max Klare as the primary tight end limited his opportunities. Still, he ended his Ohio State career with 254 yards on 23 receptions for two touchdowns.
Significantly, he still has a shot at the NFL. The word is he’s the 10th-best-ranked tight end as per Mel Kiper’s draft projection. He has a Day 2–3 draft pick written all over him. At the professional level, he may finally get the chance to hopefully show his full potential.
