Ohio State football: Building the ultimate Buckeye quarterback

The Ohio State football program has had several quarterbacks over the last 20 years that have contributed in many ways to tremendous success for the Buckeyes. There will always be debates on the best Ohio State quarterback ever.

Justin Fields may cement himself as the best ever with a win over Alabama in the National title game. But, how would you assemble the perfect Ohio State quarterback?

Here’s my perfect Ohio State quarterback:

Arm Strength: Cardale Jones (2013-2015)

“Twelve-Gauge” will always be remembered for leading the Buckeyes to the 2014 National Championship after both Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett suffered season-ending injuries. Jones’ arm strength gave the Buckeyes QB the ability to make throws all over the field. From deep passes to throws to the opposite hash mark, Cardale was able to utilize his massive arm strength to make plays for the Buckeyes offense.

Size: Terrelle Pryor (2008-2010)

Terrelle Pryor was the 2nd highest overall recruit in Ohio State History. His 6’6” 233lb body type gave the Buckeye QB the prototypical size to succeed at both Ohio State and in the NFL.  During his tenure at Ohio State, he led the Buckeyes to 3 Big Ten Championships and a Rose Bowl victory against Oregon.

Elusiveness: Braxton Miller (2011-2015)

One of the most dynamic Buckeyes quarterbacks of all-time, Braxton Miller will always be remembered for his speed and playmaking ability. He was a 2-time Big Ten’s Silver Football Award winner, given to the conference’s MVP. He was a 2-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as well. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash, which gives you a sense of how much speed Braxton brought to the quarterback position and the Buckeye offense.

Accuracy: Dwayne Haskins (2017-2018)

Haskins had one of the most breakout seasons in Ohio State football team history when he threw for over 5,300 yards and 50 touchdowns in 2018. He was arguably one of the most accurate quarterbacks that Urban Meyer has ever coached. Haskins completed 70% of his throws throughout his career at Ohio State.

Grit: Justin Fields (2019-Present)

Justin Fields’ legacy will be remembered forever for his gutsy performance in the 2021 Sugar Bowl against Clemson. After that huge blow he took to the ribs by Clemson LB James Skalski, Fields still managed to destroy the Tigers’ defense. Fields threw for 385 yards and 6 touchdowns. He will go down as one of the best Ohio State quarterbacks of all-time but could he become the greatest of all-time with a National Championship victory against Alabama?

Leadership: J.T. Barrett (2014-2017)

The ultimate leader. Barrett was the first 3-time captain in the history of Ohio State. He was a 3-time First Team All-Big Ten and he was the first player to go 4-0 as a starter in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. Accumulating more than 25 Ohio State records, there’s no question his leadership translated to tremendous success on the field for the Buckeyes.

All these Buckeye quarterbacks have many different strengths and weaknesses. However, one thing is certain: All these QBs have won. Whether it was Cardale Jones leading the Buckeyes to a National Championship or Terrelle Pryor leading the Ohio State football team to a Rose Bowl victory or even watching Justin Fields dominate Clemson’s defense in the Sugar Bowl, all these quarterbacks are absolute winners.

How would you assemble the perfect Ohio State quarterback?