If Ohio State football hasn't become quarterback university (QBU) yet, they're getting close. They've had three quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2019, thanks to Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and CJ Stroud. For all the talk Ohio State's wide receivers get, they've had some really talented players to get them the ball too.

Ohio State football looks to add to that group of first-round quarterbacks to come from their program in the near future. Quinn Ewers would be in line to start for the Buckeyes in another universe in 2023. According to ESPN, Ewers was the third overall recruit of the 2021 recruiting class and the number one quarterback in the class. But CJ Stroud had a stranglehold on the starting quarterback gig and forced Ewers to transfer to Texas, where he will likely start and give fellow phenom Arch Manning a year to acclimate to the college game. That leads two options to start for the Buckeyes in 2023: Kyle McCord and Devin Brown.

Kyle McCord

Kyle McCord wasn't as highly touted a prospect as Quinn Ewers was entering Columbus, but he was no slouch either. He was ranked as a four-star prospect and the 32nd-best prospect in the 2021 class by ESPN, one spot behind fellow Ohio State Buckeye Emeka Egbuka. If McCord is as good at his position as Egbuka is at his position, then Ohio State football is going to be just fine. By most accounts, McCord is in the lead in this quarterback battle and the most likely to start Week 1 in Bloomington against the Indiana Hoosiers.

That makes sense too. Kyle McCord has been on the team for two seasons now. He doesn't have a ton of college football playing experience, but he actually has some, unlike Devin Brown. For his career, McCord is 41-58 for 606 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He's made one start in his career; that came Week 1 as a true freshman against Akron. He went 13-18 for 319 yards and two touchdowns along with an interception. McCord's playing time has been limited, but he's performed well when given the chance.

Kyle McCord has another advantage over Devin Brown: he has chemistry with Ohio State football star Marvin Harrison Jr. The two were on the same high school team (St. Joseph's Prep School) in Philadelphia. Harrison Jr. is likely the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson, and that's saying something with how many great wide receivers have played since Megatron. It can't hurt to have that history of reps and institutional knowledge with a great player like that. McCord has it. It's another reason why he should win this quarterback battle.

Devin Brown

McCord has a lot of things going for him, but he will still have to earn the starting spot. Devin Brown is no slouch. He, like McCord, was a four-star prospect coming out of high school, but he was ranked as the 81st-best prospect of the 2022 recruiting class by ESPN. Brown will have a real chance at winning this competition.

The difference though between Brown and McCord is the latter has the upper hand when it comes to experience. McCord has actually played; Brown has no career pass attempts. Brown will gain experience playing alongside Marvin Harrison Jr., but McCord has done it longer. McCord has more experience and familiarity with Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day's offense. Brown has some, but not as much as McCord.

Moving Forward for Ohio State football

For those reasons, it won't shock anybody if Kyle McCord is named as the starting quarterback for Ohio State football for the 2023 season. That's not to say it's a certainty or that he'd keep the job if he plays poorly in camp or in the regular season, but McCord is the favorite to win the job. And he should be. However, Devin Brown will push him. No one has been named the starter yet, but this is definitely a competition to watch before the college football season kicks off in 18 days.