Four Ohio State stars make On3 list of top 100 players in college football

COLUMBUS — Ohio State working its way through the college football offseason as one of the favorites to win the national championship this upcoming season.

The Buckeyes have one of the best rosters in the sport, and that’s evident by the release of the top 100 players in college football from the folks at On3, Lettermen Row’s parent company.

Of course, the top player in college football is on the Ohio State roster. That title belongs to Jeremiah Smith, the third-year superstar wide receiver who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to begin his college career. Across two seasons, Smith has 163 receptions for 2,558 receiving yards and 27 touchdown grabs, as well as two rushing touchdowns. He needs just 43 catches, 341 yards and nine receiving touchdowns to become the Ohio State program’s all-time leader in all three categories.

The next Ohio State player on the list is quarterback Julian Sayin, who checks in at No. 9 in the On3 list of top 100 players. Sayin, a Heisman Trophy finalist from last season, passed for 3,610 yards and 33 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.

On3’s Clark Brooks dove into Sayin’s tape from last year and had this to say about him: Against a hard slate consisting of 6 top35 defenses in ESPN’s SP+, Sayin boasts the group’s gold medal in Success Rate and First Down+TD Rate by over 6 and 2 points, respectively. His 8.5 Adjusted Net Passing Yards/Attempt (ANY/A) was the best of any Power Four participant. Prudent and potent, his TD:Interception Ratio across last year was 4:1. And no one – not even Fernando Mendoza – bested his 92.5 PFF Pass Grade. 

Checking in at No. 36 is Ohio State offensive lineman Austin Siereveld, who impressed in his first season as the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle last season. He could play at left tackle again this fall or slide in to fill the void at right guard, depending on what the Buckeyes need from him. His versatility will make him a trendy pick to become a first-round NFL Draft choice next spring if he has a strong 2026 campaign.

And fourth for the Buckeyes is tailback Bo Jackson, who is the No. 46 player in the sport according to On3. He’s the list’s No. 7-ranked running back. Jackson missed the spring because of an offseason procedure, but he’s coming off a freshman season in which he ran for 1,090 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 19 grabs for 200 yards and a receiving score.

Indiana and Oregon each have eight players in the top 100. Michigan has three.