Who will be Ohio State’s QB following the CJ Stroud era?

Devin Brown

McCord’s biggest competition comes in the form of true freshman Devin Brown. A Utah native, Brown comes from a QB factory in Corner Canyon High School that has produced the likes of Zach Wilson and Ole Miss starter Jaxson Dart, with Wilson’s younger brother, Isaac, expected to be the next big name to come from the school. But none of them were as coveted as Brown coming out, as he was ranked as the No. 6 QB in the country in the 2021 class.

While McCord is not a statue in the pocket, Brown’s pure athleticism may provide a bit more of a mobility threat at the position. Recruiting analyst Blair Angulo compared him to Sam Darnold, a player with the same type of basketball background that Brown has. If he does not win the job, it will be interesting to see if he decides to enter the portal. McCord will be eligible for the 2024 draft, but he is not a bonafide first-round pick. USC, where Brown originally committed to, could be an interesting landing spot considering reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams will almost certainly leave after next season.

#Buckeyes true freshman QB Devin Brown spinning it. Another storyline of Peach Bowl prep has been the competition between Brown and 2nd-year QB Kyle McCord.

Both are vying for next season’s starting job. pic.twitter.com/PUXDtoKgfZ

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) December 28, 2022