Fox Sports commentator Joel Klatt believes two quarterbacks are ahead of Ohio State’s Julian Sayin entering the 2026 college football season.
On an episode of “The Joel Klatt Show” June 22, Klatt revealed his list of the top 10 college quarterbacks for the upcoming year. He placed Sayin third, trailing Texas’ Arch Manning at No. 2 and Oregon’s Dante Moore in the top spot.
“There were really just two things that held Julian Sayin back a year ago,” Klatt said. “… He was at times a little bit hesitant to let it rip down the field. There were multiple times where I’d be watching film in preparation for games, and I’d pause the film and be like, ‘The throw is there. He’s got to take that shot.’ “
Klatt’s other knock on Julian Sayin was his run-game ability last season, contrasting his short runs with former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.
“[Sayin] struggled on the quarterback sneak,” Klatt said. “It hurt them in general offensively because they weren’t great in short yardage. … I have heard and seen that Julian has done a ton of work in the weight room and he’s a little bit bigger. So if he can just be proficient in the sneak game, in particular in short yardage, that will help the entirety of the offense.”
Last season, Sayin finished with 3,610 passing yards and 32 touchdowns in 14 games. He was the nation’s most accurate passer with a 77% completion percentage, the third-highest figure in FBS history. In the run game, however, Sayin finished with minus-44 rushing yards and did not score a rushing touchdown.
“If he lets it rip, man, he’s going to have a huge, huge season,” Klatt said. “That could be one of, if not the best, offenses in the country at Ohio State.”
Klatt placed Manning above Sayin because of the size and running ability, despite Sayin’s higher production in the 2025 season.
Joel Klatt’s top 10 college football quarterbacks entering 2026 season
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Joel Klatt ranks Ohio State’s Julian Sayin 3rd best QB for 2026 season
Reporting by Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
