Ohio State Football Outlook: The Quarterback Depth Chart
With the Buckeyes’ spring game in the rear-view mirror, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his staff will enter the summer with a barebones outline for their roster’s depth chart in 2022.
Because the program doesn’t release an official depth chart, Buckeye Sports Bulletin compiled observations and resources to build its first version of the Ohio State starting offensive, defensive and special teams players. We will also address the second-string and third-string Buckeyes at each position.
Consider this article — and the following articles in the next 10 days — as you would an NFL mock draft. Ohio State’s depth chart will undoubtedly change between May and August. Injuries, the transfer portal, and other factors will cause roster movement. For now, here’s BSB’s first version of the 2022 depth chart projection based on what we’ve seen and heard around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and Ohio Stadium this spring.
QUARTERBACKS
STARTER: C.J. Stroud
BACKUPS: Kyle McCord and Devin Brown
Everything will fall into place for Ohio State at quarterback in 2022. Local reporters will not spend every media availability with Day asking him who will be QB1. Instead, Buckeye fans can trust that redshirt sophomore C.J. Stroud will lead their team as a Heisman Trophy frontrunner with weapons like wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Julian Fleming, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka at his disposal.
Behind Stroud will be sophomore Kyle McCord, the primary backup for Ohio State last season, and freshman Devin Brown, a former four-star quarterback from Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon High School.
C.J. STROUD
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 218
HOMETOWN: RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIF.
RECRUITING: FIVE-STAR FROM RANCHO CUCAMONGA HIGH SCHOOL
STROUD’S 2021 STATISTICS
| Completions | 317 |
| Attempts | 441 |
| Completion Percentage | 71.9% |
| Yards | 4,435 |
| Touchdowns | 44 |
| Interceptions | 6 |
| Yards Per Game | 369.6 |
Stroud was the Big Ten’s Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year as a redshirt freshman last season. He led Ohio State to an 11-2 record and powered the nation’s top-ranked total offense (561.2 ypg) and scoring offense (45.7 ppg) and the No. 3 passing offense (380.9 ypg).
The Buckeye signal-caller earned himself an invite to the Heisman Trophy ceremony at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City after finishing second nationally in passer efficiency rating, third in touchdowns, third in completion percentage, third in yards per game and second in yards per attempt. He finished fourth behind Alabama’s Bryce Young, Michigan’s Aiden Hutchinson and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett.
Stroud broke several records in his first season under center. He will return to Columbus next season with his eyes set on more. Still, his primary focus will be to bring his team back to the College Football Playoff as one of the nation’s four best teams. Ohio State will have a legitimate shot to win a national championship with Stroud at quarterback. Time will tell how much he can grow after a breakout season for the Buckeyes.
KYLE MCCORD
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 220
HOMETOWN: MT. LAUREL, N.J.
RECRUITING: FORMER FIVE-STAR FROM ST. JOSEPH’S PREP
MCCORD’S 2021 STATISTICS
| Completions | 25 |
| Attempts | 38 |
| Completion Percentage | 65.8% |
| Yards | 416 |
| Touchdowns | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Yards Per Game | 83.2 |
McCord was the nation’s No. 25-ranked overall prospect, No. 3 quarterback and consensus five-star recruit from St. Joseph’s (Penn.) Preparatory School in the Philadelphia area. He enrolled early at Ohio State in January 2021 and battled Stroud and former Buckeye Jack Miller III for the starting quarterback position before last season. When Stroud won the job, McCord assumed a role as the team’s primary backup.
With Stroud set as Ohio State’s returning starter in 2022, McCord will again take second-string duties in the offense. That role does not diminish McCord’s ability but accentuates Stroud’s performance for the Buckeyes in his redshirt freshman season.
McCord will take another year to develop under Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis. However, he cannot let his guard down as he will need to fend off freshman Devin Brown from backup duties in 2022. McCord and Brown will presumably battle for QB1 responsibilities in 2023, making each opportunity next season of the utmost importance, serving as an audition for the future in the Ohio State offense.
DEVIN BROWN
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 205
HOMETOWN: DRAPER, UTAH
RECRUITING: FORMER FOUR-STAR FROM CORNER CANYON HIGH SCHOOL
Brown was one of 13 early enrollees who arrived in Columbus in January. He was the nation’s No. 52 overall recruit and No. 5 quarterback in the class of 2022 after throwing for nearly 8,000 yards and 85 touchdowns in his high school career.
The Draper, Utah, native spent his first three years of high school at Queen Creek High School in Arizona under head coach Joe Germaine, a former Buckeye quarterback in the mid-90s who led Ohio State to a Rose Bowl win over Arizona State in 1997. Brown said Germaine taught him a lot about football in his three seasons at Queen Creek and helped develop him into the quarterback he is for the Buckeyes today.
Brown will likely operate in the role Miller filled last season for the Buckeyes. McCord will be the primary backup to Stroud, and Brown can earn snaps late in games that Ohio State controls. Look for Brown to take the field against Arkansas State, Toledo, Rutgers, Northwestern and Maryland this season. Watch closely as Brown will not back down from the challenge of a quarterback competition with McCord for the starting job in 2023.