Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) speaks to his teammates in the second half of the NCAA college football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Julian Sayin QB Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #10 PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.70 seconds (76%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #10 | |
| PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.70 seconds (76%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
86.1 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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77% |
| Short Passing: |
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79% |
| Medium Passing: |
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87% |
| Long Passing: |
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94% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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65% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Early
Overall Rank:
#35
Position rank:
#8 (QB)
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| College Games: 25 College Snaps: 1293 | ||
ESPN RATING: 91/100
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shedeur Sanders - Colorado |
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92% |
| Ty Simpson - Alabama |
|
88% |
| Bo Nix - Oregon |
|
84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Julian Sayin was a five-star recruit at Carlsbad High School in California, where he threw for 7,970 yards, 86 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and was the Elite 11 Finals MVP in 2023. He committed to Alabama, enrolled early and practiced with the Crimson Tide before the Rose Bowl, then entered the portal when Nick Saban retired and picked Ohio State in January 2024. His brother Aidan is the starting quarterback at Penn.Sayin redshirted on Ohio State's 2024 national title team. He won the starting job in 2025 and completed 77 percent of his passes, just short of the FBS record, for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns against Wisconsin, finished fourth in the Heisman voting and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but Ohio State lost the Big Ten title game to Indiana 13-10 and the Cotton Bowl to Miami.
Sayin returned as a team captain in 2026. He threw for 320 yards against Ball State, 367 and four touchdowns against Illinois and four more scores against Maryland, and he had 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions through seven games. Late in the 19-15 win at Indiana on 17 October, a hit from Mario Landino injured his right throwing arm between the elbow and shoulder. Ryan Day said Ohio State is planning to be without him for the rest of the regular season and the postseason, and freshman Luke Fahey started at USC.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite ball placement, throwing receivers open for yards after the catch
- Completed 77 percent of his passes in 2025 while still pushing the ball downfield
- Quick, compact release shrinks the window and beats tight coverage
- Threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois this season
- Layers touch and velocity by route, dropping seams and driving comebacks
- Climbs the pocket with purposeful footwork instead of drifting into sacks
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Throwing-arm injury at Indiana expected to end his 2026 season
- Slight frame for the position, with durability questions
- Creates little off-script, winning almost entirely from the pocket
- Late coverage rotations sped him up in both Indiana games
Scouting Report: Summary
Sayin is one of the most accurate passers to come through college football in years. He led the nation by completing 77 percent of his passes as a first-year starter in 2025, threw 32 touchdowns and finished fourth in the Heisman voting, and he did it while pushing the ball down the field rather than living on checkdowns. Accuracy, processing and release work together: the ball comes out fast, it goes where it needs to, and he rarely puts it in harm's way. He redshirted on Ohio State's 2024 national title team before taking over in 2025.His 2026 season was building on that. He had 19 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games, with 367 yards and four scores against Illinois and four more touchdowns against Maryland, and he was a team captain at 21. Ryan Day said before the season that he had gotten stronger and found his voice.
However, the injury now overshadows the tape. He was hit late in the win at Indiana and hurt his right throwing arm, and Ohio State is planning to be without him for the rest of the season, so his 2026 film ends at seven games. He is slight for a quarterback, which makes an injury to the throwing arm a bigger concern, and he creates little off-script. Indiana has been the defense that gave him the most trouble in both seasons, with late rotations speeding him up in the Big Ten title game and again this October.
Overall, on tape Sayin is still one of the safest passers in the class and a natural fit for a timing or West Coast offense, but the arm injury and his size widen the range of outcomes. He projects as a second-round quarterback with first-round accuracy if the medical checks come back clean. He also has eligibility remaining and could return to Ohio State in 2027.
Update - 11/03/2026
Sayin hurt his throwing arm in the 19-15 win at Indiana on 17 October and is out indefinitely. Ryan Day has said Ohio State is planning on not having him for the rest of the regular season, and freshman Luke Fahey is expected to start in his place. Before the injury he had completed 131 of 192 passes for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games.
How other scouting services rate Julian Sayin (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
29.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
8.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.