Sayin Listed on the O’Brien Watch List
8/20/2026 11:52:00 AM | Football
This marks the fourth watch list so far this preseason that Sayin has been placed on. He was also listed as a Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award and Unitas Golden Arm watch lists.
FORT WORTH, Texas – Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was named to the Davey O'Brien Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Davey O'Brien Foundation Thursday afternoon.
This marks the fourth watch list so far this preseason that Sayin has been placed on. He was also listed as a Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award watch lists, which are both given to the best player in college football, and the Unitas Golden Arm Watch List, which honors the best upperclassmen quarterback in the country.
Additionally, he has been named a preseason All-American by ESPN, Walter Camp, Athlon and Phil Steele while also be placed on the Big Ten Preseason Honors list.
Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State, becoming the third Buckeye quarterback in the Ryan Day era to do so.
In the process, he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions.
His 77.0 completion percentage in 2025 is the best in single-season program history, is a Big Ten Record and also is third highest in FBS history (Bo Nix in 2023 at Oregon (77.4 pct.) and Mac Jones in 2020 at Alabama (77.4 pct.).
3,610 passing yards in 2025 ranks fifth in single-season program history. 301 pass completions in 2025 rank fourth in single-season program history.
He became the first Ohio State quarterback to complete better than 85 pct. of his passes in a game for over 300 yards and at least three TDs and no interceptions when he did so vs. Minnesota (85.2 pct.-326 yards-3 TDs) on Oct. 4, 2025 and Wisconsin (85.7-393-4) on Oct. 18, 2025.
Sayin goes into the 2026 season with six career 300-plus yard passing games which ranks sixth in career program history.
O'Brien Award Process
In the semifinalist voting round, each member of the Selection Committee selects their top 16 candidates from the ballot, which consists of all FBS starting quarterbacks.
The finalist ballot is comprised of all 16 semifinalists. Each member of the Selection Committee will be asked to select his or her top three choices. The three finalists will be announced in late November. The three candidates with the most votes are submitted to the Davey O'Brien Executive Committee for approval.
The ballot is comprised of the three finalists. Selection Committee members will be asked to rank the finalists. The Davey O'Brien Winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards live on ESPN in early December and will be honored at the Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner in February in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ohio State Preseason Honors
This marks the fourth watch list so far this preseason that Sayin has been placed on. He was also listed as a Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award watch lists, which are both given to the best player in college football, and the Unitas Golden Arm Watch List, which honors the best upperclassmen quarterback in the country.
Additionally, he has been named a preseason All-American by ESPN, Walter Camp, Athlon and Phil Steele while also be placed on the Big Ten Preseason Honors list.
Sayin won his first 12 games as the starter for Ohio State, becoming the third Buckeye quarterback in the Ryan Day era to do so.
In the process, he became a Heisman Trophy finalist and led the nation in completion percentage (77.0 pct.), ranking second nationally in efficiency (177.5) while throwing for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns (fourth nationally) with only eight interceptions.
His 77.0 completion percentage in 2025 is the best in single-season program history, is a Big Ten Record and also is third highest in FBS history (Bo Nix in 2023 at Oregon (77.4 pct.) and Mac Jones in 2020 at Alabama (77.4 pct.).
3,610 passing yards in 2025 ranks fifth in single-season program history. 301 pass completions in 2025 rank fourth in single-season program history.
He became the first Ohio State quarterback to complete better than 85 pct. of his passes in a game for over 300 yards and at least three TDs and no interceptions when he did so vs. Minnesota (85.2 pct.-326 yards-3 TDs) on Oct. 4, 2025 and Wisconsin (85.7-393-4) on Oct. 18, 2025.
Sayin goes into the 2026 season with six career 300-plus yard passing games which ranks sixth in career program history.
O'Brien Award Process
In the semifinalist voting round, each member of the Selection Committee selects their top 16 candidates from the ballot, which consists of all FBS starting quarterbacks.
The finalist ballot is comprised of all 16 semifinalists. Each member of the Selection Committee will be asked to select his or her top three choices. The three finalists will be announced in late November. The three candidates with the most votes are submitted to the Davey O'Brien Executive Committee for approval.
The ballot is comprised of the three finalists. Selection Committee members will be asked to rank the finalists. The Davey O'Brien Winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards live on ESPN in early December and will be honored at the Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner in February in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ohio State Preseason Honors
- Phil Steele:
- Six Ohio State players were named preseason All-Americans by the publication while 16 Buckeyes were placed on the preseason All-Big Ten team.
- Athlon Sports:
- Seven Ohio State players were named preseason All-Americans by the publication while 16 Buckeyes were placed on the preseason All-Big Ten team.
- Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List:
- AFCA Good Works Nominees:
- Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000
- Ohio State football had 19 players selected to the Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000. The list includes a representative from almost every position room at Ohio State including five defensive lineman, four offensive linemen, three safeties and three wide receivers.
- Big Ten Preseason Honors List:
- Maxwell Preseason Watch List:
- Mannelly Preseason Watch List:
- Outland Trophy Watch List:
- Nagurski Watch List:
- Mackey Award Watch List:
- Sporting News Preseason All-Americans:
- Junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was placed on the first time while offensive linemen Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld were listed on the second team.
- Rimington Trophy Watch List:
- Lou Groza Watch List:
- Hornung Award Watch List:
- On3 Preseason All-Americans:
- Junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was placed on the first time while offensive linemen Luke Montgomery was listed on the second team and Austin Siereveld was placed on the third team.
- Wuerffel Trophy Watch List:
- Lombardi Award Watch List:
- Thrope Award Watch List:
- ESPN Preseason All-America
- Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin were both named to the first team ahead of the 2026 season.
- Walter Camp Watch List:
- Doak Walker Watch List:
- CBS Preseason All-America
- Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and offensive lineman Luke Montgomery were both named to the first team ahead of the 2026 season.
- AP Preseason All-America
- Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was named a first team selection and offensive lineman Luke Montgomery was placed on the second team ahead of the 2026 season.
- Biletnikoff Watch List:
- Unitas Golden Arm Watch List:
- Senior Bowl 300
- Ohio State had 16 players selected to the Senior Bowl 300, the most of any school. Four different position rooms had three or more selections to the Senior Bowl 300.
- Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List
Players Mentioned
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