List Of Ohio State QBs Last 10 Years

Ohio State starting QB history in the 21st century starts with Steve Bellasari who earned the position on September 8, 2001.

The Ohio State University football program, famous as the Buckeyes, is renowned for its storied past, and the quarterback position has played a significant role in many of the team's successes. 

The NCAA tournament has seen a wide range of quarterbacks donning the scarlet and gray, from Heisman finalists to national champions.

Although the ratio of quarterbacks from the Buckeyes who ended up in the NFL is relatively low compared to other teams, they certainly had their fair share of standout players at this position. 

The Early Years 2000 to 2005

The early period of Ohio State Buckeyes quarterbacks was primarily shaped by Coach Jim Tressel's influence and coaching philosophy.

Tressel signed as a head coach for the team in 2001 and thus marked the beginning of The Tressel Ball. QBs during this epoch were often asked to control the game by making intelligent decisions whenever they had the ball and avoid making blunders.

Some of the standout quarterbacks during this time include Craig Krenzel, who led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002, and Troy Smith, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2006.

The Tressel Era 2006 to 2010

Head coach Jim Tressel had a successful tenure at the Buckeyes, leading them to the NCAA championship final in 2006.

With the starting QB Troy Smith at the heart of the Buckeyes' offense, Jim often relied on solid defense and running tactics to win games. Troy won the coveted Heisman Trophy owing to his scintillating display in the tournament.

Following Smith's graduation from college, Ohio State struggled to find a compatible replacement at quarterback. They went through several different starters before finally turning to Terrelle Pryor.

Pryor was a dynamic athlete with a big arm but sadly struggled with consistency and off-field issues during his time at the Buckeyes.

The Urban Meyer Era 2012 to 2018

Former Florida Gators gaffer Urban Meyer succeeded Tressel to become the new head coach of Ohio State in 2012. 

Meyer implemented an explosive offense during his time as head coach that gave birth to a catalog of talented quarterbacks such as Braxton Miller, JT Barrett, and Dwayne Haskins.

Miller was a dynamic dual-threat quarterback, while Barrett broke several records and led the team to a national championship appearance.

On the other hand, Haskins, who started as a backup, became a Heisman finalist and set multiple records before being selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Ohio State well and truly established a strong QB pedigree under Meyer's leadership.

From Urban To Day 2019 to Present

Former college football player Ryan Day took over from Meyer as the head coach in 2019. Day resumed the Buckeyes' tradition of producing top-tier QBs.

In his first year, Ryan oversaw the breakout performances of Justin Fields, a game-changing transfer from Georgia who quickly became a fan favorite.

Fields made an immediate impact for Ohio, throwing for 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions while leading the team to a Big Ten Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance.

After Justin announced for the NFL Draft following the 2020 season, the Buckeyes promoted Redshirt freshman CJ Stroud as their next big QB.

Despite facing tough competition from fellow redshirt freshman Jack Miller and Kyle McCord, Stroud cemented his position in the starting lineup in September 2021.

Ohio State starting quarterbacks by year are:

• Steve Bellasari (2000-2001)
• Craig Krenzel (2002-2004)
• Justin Zwick (2004-2006)
• Troy Smith (2006)
• Todd Boeckman (2007-2008)
• Terrelle Pryor (2009-2010)
• Joe Bauserman (2011)
• Braxton Miller (2012-2013)
• JT Barrett (2014)
• Cardale Jones (2015)
• JT Barrett (2016-2017)
• Dwayne Haskins (2018)
• Justin Fields (2019)
• CJ Stroud (2021-)

The Buckeyes have bred some of the most outstanding quarterbacks in college football history, and the numbers back it up.

From Craig Krenzel to Justin Fields, the Ohio State quarterback position has been home to some of college football's brightest stars. These players have been instrumental in Buckeyes' success, bringing national championships and memorable moments.

The latest on the list is California native Stroud, who signed for Ohio in 2020. Brought in as a replacement for Fields, who left the club for NFL Draft in 2021, Stroud became the starting QB on September 2nd, 2021, in an NFL game against the  Minnesota Gophers.

His first season as the first-team quarterback went pretty well, as he recorded a pass percentage of 71.9% with 4,435 yards and 32 rushes per 20 yards. 

Besides, the Ohio State single-season passing touchdown record has been held by Dwayne Haskins, who threw for an astonishing 50 scores in 2018, while Barrett carries the career passing touchdown record with 104. 

With so many talented quarterbacks having graced the Buckeyes team, picking the greatest of them all is a nerve-wracking ordeal for the fans.

Some reasons B. Miller was the greatest dual-threat quarterback the Bucks have ever had, while others indicate Barrett's record-breaking career or 2006 Heisman trophy holder Smith.

Best Ohio State QBs in the NFL are:

• CJ Stroud - 2023 NFL Draft
• Justin Fields- 2021 NFL Draft
• Dwayne Haskins - 2019 NFL Draft
• Cardale Jones - 2016 NFL Draft
• Troy Smith - 2007 NFL Draft
• Craig Krenzel - 2004 NFL Draft
• JT Barrett - UDFA 2018
• Todd Boeckman - UDFA 2009

Buckeyes quarterbacks have gone on to play in the NFL with varying degrees of success. The chart includes Smith, Krenzel, Jones, and Haskins. 

The two times Griese–Brees Quarterback of the Year winner Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft in January. He announced his departure from college football after two years to be on the list for the draft.

The Houston Texans selected Stroud as the overall second pick after Bryce Young, and his roster status is currently unsigned draft pick. 

Another Ohio QB to play in the NFL is Justin Fields, who the Chicago Bears selected in the first round of the 2021 Draft. He inked a four-year rookie contract worth $18.8 million in June 2021 with the Bears. 

Justin has started in a total of 25 games in the league, with 4.112 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and ten rushing touchdowns to date.

On the other hand, Cardale Jones has played for a handful of NFL franchises, including the team that drafted him in 2016, the Buffalo Bills, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Seattle Seahawks. 

Another Buckeye star quarterback Haskins played three seasons in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers.

After an electrifying end to his college career, Dwayne was selected by the Redskins in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played 16 games for the team in two seasons before getting released at the end of the 2019-20 season. 

Undrafted Free Agents

Barrett and Boeckman are the two eminent Ohio State quarterbacks who unfortunately went undrafted in the NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-2 Barrett was a three-year starter at Ohio State with 9,434 passing yards, 104 passing touchdowns, and 3,263 rushing yards. The 2014 CFP national champion went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. 

However, New Orleans Saints offered him a three-year UDFA deal in May 2018. A year later, in August 2019, Barrett was transferred to Seahawks, followed by Pittsburgh and Edmonton Elks. 

Boeckman encountered a comparable misfortune to his Ohio State quarterback counterpart as he was left unpicked in the 2009 NFL Draft and only managed to secure a brief stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who later waived him in a matter of weeks.