Last season, Ohio State turned to Julian Sayin to help lead the Buckeyes as the starting quarterback. In his first year as a starter, Sayin lit it up. He led the country in completion percentage and ended up being a Heisman Trophy Finalist. He was one of the best players in the country.
Sayin enters 2026 as one of the favorites to win the Heisman, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are the top-ranked team in the country. He is expected to lead the team to a national championship. However, one draft analyst doesn't think that Sayin is good enough to ever become the top pick in the NFL Draft.
Draft analyst doubts Ohio State QB Julian Sayin can ever become the top pick in the draft
While appearing on The Ryen Russillo Show, Todd McShay of The Ringer thinks Sayin is a first-round pick, but he doesn't think he has the ceiling of a number-one overall pick.
"I don't think Julian Sayin ever has the chance to be the number-one overall pick. I think if he maxes this thing out, he's a top-15 pick. Something like that. I could see him being mid-to-late first-round, probably not after this year, but after the next year."
McShay doesn't think that Sayin is even good enough to be a top-15 pick after this season. Sayin is determined to prove him wrong. McShay also thinks LaNorris Sellers has a chance to be the number-one pick, and he was a massive disappointment last year for South Carolina.
If Sayin is able to put up really good numbers this year, there is no reason why he can't be a first-round pick. It would be tough for him to be the top overall pick because of his size, and NFL evaluators always fall in love with traits over production. Sayin is the most accurate thrower in the country.
Julian Sayin gets compared to Drew Brees
It wasn't all negative from McShay. McShay did say that the closest comp for Sayin is Drew Brees. All Brees did was have a Hall of Fame career and win a Super Bowl. Sayin would certainly take a career like that. He would love to be one of the all-time greats to ever play the game of football.
Even if Sayin does put up great numbers this year, the doubters will still likely point to the fact that Sayin gets to throw to Jeremiah Smith. He also got to throw to Carnell Tate, who was the fourth overall pick last April. That talent at receiver will overshadow what Sayin is able to do on the field.
If Sayin were to come back next season, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for the Buckeyes. They would love to have one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the country as a starter for the third year in a row.
Arthur Smith is going to put Sayin in a great position to put up massive numbers this year. It would be great if he could prove McShay wrong.
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