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What a year it’s been for the Buckeyes. And just when it feels like Ryan Day’s squad has done it all, Julian Sayin finds another way to make headlines. In his first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback, Sayin leads all FBS signal-callers with an 80.7% completion rate, a 197.1 passer rating, and 23 touchdowns against only three interceptions. At just 19, he’s already commanding one of college football’s most high-pressure roles with remarkable poise, and it’s paying off in every way. After carving up Penn State’s defense for 316 yards and four touchdowns on 20-of-23 passing, Sayin’s market value rose sharply. His NIL valuation jumped $186,000, climbing to $2.4 million entering Week 11, per On3. That’s a major leap from his $2 million mark just last month, and it reflects both his play on the field and his growing national presence. Consistency is what pushed Sayin’s fate this far. “People said it was the biggest opener in the history of college football, and it wasn’t just a week lead-up; it was like a month lead-up,” Ryan Day said. “(Sayin) wasn’t fazed, made good decisions, threw that big touchdown pass to Carnell, and when he came off the field to me, he was communicating what he saw well without that look in his eye like he didn’t know.” With that, he’s now ranked 13th on the NIL 100 list, with Arch Manning topping the charts with $4.8 million, with a $39k surge in his NIL value. Julian Sayin signed an NIL deal back in February 2024 with Ohio State-driven NIL collective The Foundation. This program is run by Brian Schottenstein and Bucks’ former quarterback Cardale Jones. This foundation raised more than $2.4 million in January 2024 alone. With this deal, Sayin entered the NIL market, joining his fellow mates Caleb Downs and Jeremiah Smith, who were already in. But Sayin’s first NIL deal came in January last year when he signed a multiyear deal with Panini America, which is the world’s largest sports collectibles company. “You always dream of getting your first trading card. I’m excited and proud to be partnering with Panini for my exclusive autograph trading cards,” said Sayin. Then he signed another deal with Thrive in September, which is a housing community with many complexes. “Living at Thrive puts me close to everything I need. Looking for an apartment in Columbus? Explore thrivescos.com for options and availability,” said Sayin on his IG post while giving a mini-tour of the complex. Then last month, he did another collaboration with Giant Eagle and the NCH (Nationwide Children’s Hospital) Foundation. All this is a result of Julian Sayin’s constant grind and stability, which is also pushing his Heisman fate. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Julian Sayin is turning heads with his Heisman odds Ohio State hasn’t had a single Heisman winner since quarterback Troy Smith lifted the trophy back in 2006. But heading into the final segment of college football, the Bucks have a Heisman frontrunner. Julian Sayin, with his latest outing against Penn State, has now jumped in the Heisman odds, surpassing Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. With +175 odds, he sits at the top of the charts, which is an impressive jump from +400 odds a week ago. Sayin’s more touchdowns than interceptions ratio, which is 4:3, pushed his fate this far. Watching his rise and exceptional performance, even Robert Griffin III couldn’t hold back his praise for him. “This young man just keeps making plays. Everyone wants to talk to me about what he’s got around, but what I know is he went 20-for-23 against Penn State. … Stop talking to me about, ‘He’s got two NFL number one wide receivers.’ I don’t care. I care about what he does with (them), and right now he is making them better,” he said. Well, the praise makes sense, as Julian Sayin has four games in his resume where he has completed 85% of his passes for more than 300 yards with at least 3 passing touchdowns. Now, if those numbers keep on increasing, nobody can stop Sayin’s exceptional rise this season.
