90 thoughts on 90 Ohio State football players ahead of spring practice

A player-by-player look at the Buckeyes before spring ball starts on March 10.

Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith will attack the Buckeye record books in 2026. (Photo courtesy of OSU athletics)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State spring practice opens on March 10. Here’s a player-by-player look at 90 players on the roster heading into spring.

*Note: This is not a comprehensive list of every player in spring camp, but a look at the players who would’ve been considered “scholarship” guys under the old roster rules. Current roster rules allow 105 total players, regardless of their scholarship status.

Quarterback (4)

Luke Fahey (first year): He reminds me a bit of Julian Sayin with his size and quick release. Fahey doesn’t have nearly the same recruiting pedigree, though. And that’s OK, because Ohio State isn’t going to need him to play for a few years. Fahey appears to have some toughness and athleticism to him, as well.

Justyn Martin (fifth year): One of the more interesting quarterback depth adds of the Ryan Day era. Martin had some impressive moments in a start against Penn State while playing for UCLA two years ago, but that game accounts for most of Martin’s experience, which isn’t extensive at all despite him being a fifth-year player. At 6-foot-5 with a big arm, I’d say he has more substance/upside to him than previous OSU depth adds, but I’m not sure that means he’ll amount to anything more than guys like Gunnar Hoak, Chris Chugunov and Tristan Gebbia did here.

Julian Sayin (third year): His laid-back and cool demeanor is an asset, but I wonder how much the last two games of 2025 eat at Sayin. He wasn’t awful, but he also didn’t do enough to help Ohio State beat Indiana or Miami. Motivation from those performances can be powerful, helping a quarterback take his game to another level. I’d like to see Sayin play with a little more fire and urgency in 2026 and unleash some of the playmaking skills that I believe he possesses. If that happens, he can be the best quarterback in the country.

Tavien St. Clair (second year): It sounds like the year he spent on the scout team as a freshman did a lot to lessen the learning curve for St. Clair when it comes to adjusting to the speed and sophistication of college ball. I’m eager to see how that presents itself this spring, and whether St. Clair has made a big enough jump to solidify the QB2 job behind Sayin.