Ohio State football has yet to play its 2024 season, but already one of its 2025 commits is getting lots of praise. Buckeyes commit and blue chip quarterback prospect Tavien St. Clair is being compared to Dylan Raiola, per The Athletic. Raiola is another highly touted quarterback who signed with Nebraska, after considering Ohio State.
St. Clair competed with other prep quarterbacks recently at the Elite 11 Finals event in California. The event brings together the best gunslingers in the country, to participate in drills and other activities. St. Clair got enormous praise from the coaches that attended.
“I think Tavien had the best arm here,” an Elite 11 coach said, per The Athletic. “I think (his arm’s) a little better than Raiola’s, and he’ll be under less of a microscope in his situation. He can make some mistakes without everyone looking for him to be the savior of the program without a lot of good players around him.”
St. Clair has strong size for his age. The young quarterback, who has yet to set foot on a college campus, is 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Raiola is similar in size. One coach at Elite 11 says that St. Clair has an edge on Raiola, however.
“I think he’s a more gifted passer than Raiola by a little bit,” another coach added. “Dylan was more casual and cool. He looked like a grown man who you could tell had watched hours and hours of (Patrick) Mahomes and was like this big middle infielder slinging it around. Tavien looked more intentional.”
St. Clair is the no. 2 ranked player in the 2025 player rankings, per 247 Sports. Raiola is the no. 7 player in the 2024 rankings.
Ohio State football's 2024 season outlook
At Ohio State football, the rich seem to be just getting richer. The Buckeyes have a very talented group of players for the 2024 campaign, and St. Clair makes the 2025 class seem just as good. Former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer is so impressed with the 2024 roster, he has said it may be the best the squad has looked in years.
Ohio State football has transfer quarterback Will Howard, from Kansas State, who will look to do great things. The Buckeyes also have one of the best wide receivers in the country in freshman Jeremiah Smith. Smith is the no. 1 ranked player in the 247 Sports 2024 football class.
Ohio State is looking for a Big Ten Championship in 2024, as well as a trip to the College Football Playoff. The team has missed the CFP in recent years, as Jim Harbaugh and Michigan got the better of them for three consecutive seasons. Harbaugh left Michigan, and so did several of their key players from last year. Ohio State is looking to take that top spot.
It won't be easy for the Buckeyes. USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are all joining the Big Ten this year. Penn State is also expected to challenge for a conference title, and they have Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming leading their receiving corps. There is also Iowa, and several other competitive Big Ten programs. The Buckeyes have a chance to get to the CFP, but have to go out and win some games.
The team's first chance for a victory is in the season opener on August 31. The Buckeyes take on Akron. They also play Marshall and Western Michigan in their non conference slate.
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