Is it time to worry for Ohio State and Ryan Day? It really feels like that's starting to be the case, as 4-star quarterback commit Brady Edmunds is headed to UCLA for an official visit. With Edmunds very much less than 100 percent committed to the Buckeyes, this upcoming trip to Westwood rightfully makes it seem like a flip could be on the way.
Insiders think Ohio State has a 5-star prospect all but wrapped up
If that ends up happening, it's going to be back to the drawing board for Day and his staff in terms of finding a new signal-caller for the 2027 class. Luckily, Day and OSU have been working behind the scenes a little bit in preparing for this to potentially happen. The Buckeyes have been in contact with multiple QBs this spring. And with that said, here's our look at three signal-callers in particular, Ohio State will need to prioritize if Edmunds does indeed become UCLA-bound.
3. Nebraska quarterback commit Trae Taylor
At the top of the list is someone the Ohio State faithful are quite familiar with. Yup, that'd be Trae Taylor, who confirmed the Buckeyes had been working hard at getting him to change his mind. Taylor didn't hold back in saying he's 100 percent committed to Nebraska and Matt Rhule, and his latest social media posts continue to indicate he's not going to have a change of heart.
We understand that 100 percent. At the same time, the fact that NIL conversations were previously had with Taylor tells us that Day isn't going to go down without a fight. Taylor said he'll never burn a bridge with a team either, leaving the door open for communication to remain between the two sides. It's going to take a lot of Ohio State to pull this off, but we can never say never here.
2. Alabama quarterback commit Elijah Haven
Another tough one here is definitely going to be Elijah Haven, who recently gave Kalen DeBoer the news he was hoping for on April 25. Not long after that, however, Ohio State quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler made the trip to Baton Rouge to check in on the 5-star quarterback. Day wouldn't have made Fessler stop by the Dunham School if he didn't think Ohio State had a shot.
Just like with Taylor, though, this is going to be a bit tricky. This would also be the dream scenario for Ohio State fans, as Haven is ranked the No. 1 quarterback in the country by the 247Sports Composite. He's in love with the idea of his Bama future too, with DeBoer selling him on all things SEC. That complicates things here for Day, but again, never say never, as there's plenty of time until the Early Signing Period gets here.
1. Tennessee quarterback commit Derrick Baker
Last but not least, Derrick Baker is a bit of an underrated playmaker we're going to keep in mind. Baker was previously offered by the Buckeyes, but the interest cooled. Baker has been turning plenty of heads this offseason, impressing during camps and workouts. Don't let his 3-star rating on 247Sports fool you - this kid can ball.
He's been committed to Tennessee since February, as Josh Heupel was able to post a strong recruiting win to land him. He's locked in with the Vols, for now. Should Ohio State come calling again, we'd be shocked if Baker didn't pay attention to what the Buckeyes might be ready to offer. Is Heupel's system really the best to develop Baker to get to the next level? That's up in the air, but playing for Arthur Smith sure could be enticing.
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