In the old era of college football, Ohio State Buckeye fans would have no qualms about Tavien St. Clair sitting several years behind Julian Sayin as he prepares for his opportunity under center when the latter declares for the NFL draft.
We're in the NIL era, though. And those who aren't getting an opportunity at the biggest schools are usually talented enough to receive a big-money offer to get a chance elsewhere. That makes St. Clair's future prospects scary.
Cleveland.com's Stefan Krajisnik shared a sobering reality for St. Clair: he may have to wait at least a year or two before becoming the Buckeyes' starting quarterback.
"To project ahead, St. Clair likely won’t start for Ohio State until the 2027 or 2028 season," Krajisnik wrote.
"Sayin is a redshirt-freshman who will be OSU’s starter next year, barring any surprises. He would then have a decision to make regarding the NFL after the 2026 season, which could open the door for St. Clair."
Head coach Ryan Day has stressed slow growth for St. Clair, speaking about the idea of the Bellefontaine native getting reps in non-garbage time with a sense of dread.
"He’s been mostly getting scout team reps, but we do get some three work in there. We try to get him in there as much as we can because you’re two snaps away from playing, which sometimes is sobering. We’ve got to make sure he’s continuing to develop, which I think he is," Day said.
The hope for St. Clair is for him to see what developing slowly behind a successful signal-caller could do for his career. Sayin has certainly vocalized his appreciation for learning behind Will Howard last year.
The difference between St. Clair and Sayin is that the former has to wait longer. If St. Clair is comfortable cashing seven-figure checks to ride the pine for a bit, it's a sweet deal. Who doesn't want to be paid so handsomely to hold a clipboard?
There will be opportunities to jump ship, though, because programs will always want players who've been part of winning cultures. We'll see how St. Clair responds to those as Sayin continues his brilliant career in Columbus.