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Ohio State quarterback decision for 2021 class all about future fit

Jeremy-Birminghamby:Jeremy Birmingham•04/16/19•

Birm

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Kyle McCord earned his fifth star on the composite rankings. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

Have a question about Ohio State recruiting? This is the place for you, five days a week. Submit your questions on Twitter or on the Lettermen Row forums. Check in daily to see what’s on the mind of Buckeyes fans all over the country. Today we’re talking about the Buckeyes 2021 quarterback decision.

Ohio State Recruiting Question of the Day

Though it sure seems like Philadelphia 4-star quarterback prospect Kyle McCord is on the verge of committing to Ohio State, I don’t know that it necessarily means the Buckeyes prefer him to Illinois standout J.J. McCarthy, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, California’s Jake Garcia, Connecticut’s Jack Brandon or even Maryland’s Caleb Williams.

I think more than anything what it means is that the Buckeyes are looking at all their options — and there are a lot of them. And from there, they will try to determine which of these young guys is the best fit for the program’s future.

The nice thing here is that it’s hard to see any wrong choice at present. And though the primary discussion right now seems to be whether McCarthy or McCord will be the guy, I think it’s premature to eliminate other players from the conversation. The Buckeyes are the only high-major offer for Brandon, and Maye told Lettermen Row following his most recent visit that Ohio State was on top of his list, as have McCarthy and McCord in recent weeks.

It’s hard to say that any one of these guys has a physical advantage over the others, because the truth is that each is still growing, developing and learning how to play football. McCord is the son of former college quarterback, Maye is the son of a former college quarterback and the brother of a pair of recent NCAA national champs in basketball and baseball, so it’s safe to project success a bit with those two moving forward. They also both have big frames and big arms, with each player measuring in at 6-foot-4 already.

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North Carolina’s Drake Maye could have the highest upside of all the Buckeyes 2021 quarterback options. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

When breaking down each player, a handful of criteria must be considered – from size and speed and arm strength to football IQ and personality fits, etc. Marvin Harrison Jr. being McCord’s teammate is absolutely one of the factors as well.

There are no sure things, especially in quarterback recruiting, and I know from conversations with people in Columbus that there’s not really a consensus pick among the quarterback options at this point. It’s just too early.

That is why I think the one thing Ohio State would truly prefer in these evaluations would be more time to make them.

Quarterback is one position that simply can’t afford misses at on the recruiting trail. And while there will always be risks, the sped-up recruiting calendar has put the onus on face-to-face meetings and personal relationship-building because it’s the one position more than any other that makes or breaks a recruiting class — and a coach’s career.

The best way to stay on top of all that recruiting #stuff? Subscribe to Lettermen Row’s Recruiting with Birm newsletter. 

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