The Ohio State Buckeyes are pursuing an intriguing Big Ten quarterback in the transfer portal.
Julian Sayin will be the Ohio State Buckeyes' starting quarterback in 2026. That much we know. You also have to assume that Tavien St. Clair will be waiting in the wings.
But with Lincoln Kienholz transferring to Louisville, Ohio State may want to land a veteran quarterback to provide some experience and depth in its quarterback room.
That's why the Buckeyes are hosting former UCLA and Maryland signal-caller Justyn Martin on Saturday, Martin announced in a post on his X account.
A former four-star recruit, Martin stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds, so he certainly has terrific size for a quarterback.
The Inglewood, Ca. native began his collegiate career at UCLA in 2022 and spent three years with the Bruins, although he threw just 35 passes throughout his tenure with the squad, completing 24 of them for 179 yards and a touchdown.
Martin then transferred to Maryland, where he didn't throw a single pass this season.
Now a fifth-year senior, Martin has certainly been a major disappointment since entering the NCAA ranks, and barring injury to Sayin, it's hard to imagine he'll get any playing time for the Buckeyes in 2026, either.
Justyn Martin. Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images.Martin is also planning to visit Memphis.
Ohio State received a spectacular season from Sayin in 2025, with the redshirt freshman throwing for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 77 percent of his passes. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a result.
The general consensus is that Sayin will spend one more year in Columbus before entering the 2027 NFL Draft, where he is expected to be a top pick.
That would then open the door for St. Clair — who, like Sayin, is a former five-star recruit — to take the starting job at Ohio State.
Of course, a lot can change between now and then.
The Buckeyes have landed one quarterback for their 2026 recruiting class thus far, securing three-star prospect Luke Fahey out of Mission Viejo, Ca.
After watching their team bag both Sayin and St. Clair the last couple of years, Ohio State fans may have become a bit spoiled with five-star quarterbacks, but that's definitely a rarity.
The Buckeyes went 12-2 this season, falling to Miami in the Cotton Bowl.