Know Dragon Ball Z? The one with the yellow hair and obnoxious screaming? You likely do. See, the Saiyan Saga in DBZ shares parallels with the “Julian Sayin” saga down at Ohio State. Both represent a line in the sand between two different eras. Marking the start of a sequel after a heroic and triumphant happy ending for the cast. Both have the protagonist unaware of what his future holds. Learning things on the fly (pun very much intended!) about where he stands in the pecking order. In the universe for one, and, in Sayin’s case, on the quarterback depth chart. There’s a point of divergence between the two, though. DBZ villains are maniacal, racist aliens who’ve experienced everything there is to experience. The villain for Sayin? Very human traits, like inexperience. But despite never starting a college football game, he’s already gaining momentum within NFL circles.

Former 5-star Julian Sayin is the new QB1-elect for Ryan Day’s Buckeyes. His predecessor, Will Howard, came to Columbus via the portal and brought them a national championship immediately. He’s got the best WR in the sport at his disposal. And he’s tasked with carrying the mantle for this storied blueblood program. You’d think that’s already enough pressure on the sophomore. Yet, prematurely or deservedly, he’s earning plaudits from the rung above. Throughout spring camp and just through his high school tape, Sayin has exuded talent. Naturally, the scouts have come around to it as well. 

Over on IG, the @nflrookiewatch handle relayed some intel about Julian Sayin to its following of over 68k. It initially began with some praise from within the CFB realm. “One Big Ten coach reportedly believes Sayin ‘has all of the tools’ to lead the Big Ten in passing, given his arsenal of weapons,” read an excerpt from the caption.

No lies told with that last bit, as the receiving corps. includes the returning starting duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate being bolstered by the ascending Brandon Inniss. Ryan Day, new OC Brian Hartline, and the Buckeyes Nation sure would love to hear this co-sign. But maybe they’re cynical about how quickly Sayin is entering the NFL hivemind. And more so about how he’s already being thought of more highly than Will Howard.

“Sayin has already drawn multiple comparisons from NFL scouts, ranging from Bryce Young, to Caleb Williams, to even Drew Brees…One AFC scout that reportedly believes Sayin is a ‘much more talented passer’ than Will Howard was and has Top-10 pick potential if he can put it all together at Ohio State,” proceeded the IG caption.

That’s two former No.1 overall draft picks and a HOFer, one of the most surgical QBs to ever do it. It’s great to garner such comparisons, but heavy is the head that wears the crown. As aforementioned, Julian Sayin has a grand total of 0 collegiate starts. It’s rational to think that maybe there’s a need to hit the proverbial brakes and slow down a little. But at the same time, Sayin’s repertoire of skills does warrant getting excited. 

As for being a better passer than Will Howard, it’s probably true in theory. In a vacuum, this is a 5-star prospect who threw for north of 7,800 yards in high school versus someone who just got drafted on Day 3. But the games are played on grass, not paper. 

Dimming Will Howard’s light to make Julian Sayin’s shine brighter may be revisionist

Will Howard aired the pigskin brilliantly, and at a high clip, in his one season with Ohio State. Sure, there were initial hiccups. But you’d expect them for a guy who’s just come over from a different school in K-State and is learning a new offense alongside new personnel. Howard progressively got better in scarlet red. The dominant playoff run epitomized this progression and is likely what convinced Mike Tomlin’s Steelers to have a go at him in the NFL Draft. 

It’s a lazy and somewhat naive analysis to reckon Will Howard only found success and won hardware because he was throwing to the best WR room in the country. It helped; it’d be delusional to suggest otherwise. But Howard’s quarterbacking facilitated that brilliant receiver play. Something Julian Sayin will hope to replicate. With how much motion Sayin already has, it’s fair to assume one thing. If he can indeed replicate, or come close to replicating, what Will Howard achieved with Ohio State, he’d come off Roger Goodell’s draft board a lot earlier than the 185th pick. 

That 5-star tag often doesn’t translate when the time arrives, but it is a valuable data point to gauge where Sayin sits relative to Howard. He’s starting a couple of steps further along. But there’s a long, treacherous way to go. He knows it; he was in the building last year when Howard blossomed right in front of him. It’ll be fascinating to see how things transpire for Sayin as he moves out of the shadows and into the spotlight.