After leading Ohio State to an undefeated season for the first time since 2019, Julian Sayin sits squarely in the Heisman Trophy conversation. He trails only Fernando Mendoza in the Heisman odds at most major sportsbooks. But according to two Ohio State alums who know a thing or two about evaluating talent, Sayin might not even be the best player on his own team.

Former OSU quarterback Kirk Herbstreit set the record straight when asked about Ohio State’s most impactful player. “Caleb Downs might be the best college football player in the country. He’s a freak, and he has been for years.”

Former Buckeye wide receiver Joey Galloway immediately picked up on the implications of that statement and pushed it further. “Have you ever seen a person win the Heisman and not be the best player on their own team? Have you ever seen that before?” Galloway then started building his case. He asked Herbstreit if Jeremiah Smith was the second-best player on the roster. But Herbstreit responded by throwing another name into the mix.

“Carnell Tate is having a great year,” Herbstreit said, effectively sliding Sayin down another spot. Galloway couldn’t help but laugh at what was unfolding. “If you keep it up, you’re moving Sayin down the list. It’s an amazing situation that I don’t know that I’ve ever seen where Julian Sayin has a chance to win the Heisman and—”

Herbstreit finished the thought without hesitation: “be the fourth or fifth best player on his team.” Then, as if to drive the point home even further, Herbstreit added, “Don’t forget Sonny Styles.” The conversation eventually turned to LB Arvell Reese, whom multiple NFL draft analysts have projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft. He is posting a 95.1% tackle rate, which makes his case even more interesting. Both former Buckeyes agreed that the Heisman has essentially become a quarterback award rather than a true measure of who the sport’s most valuable player actually is.​ 

But the question is, are these other players really that good that they should be considered ahead of Julian Sayin?

Heisman race at Ohio State

Let’s start with Herbstreit’s choice for the best player in the country. Caleb Downs, the true junior safety who has anchored Ohio State’s nation-leading defense for two straight years. Downs enters the Big Ten Championship with 52 total tackles (34 solo) through twelve games in 2025. These are good numbers. But they don’t capture his impact as a team captain.

He’s a finalist for the Thorpe, Nagurski, Bednarik, and Lott IMPACT trophies, basically every major defensive award in college football. He is widely regarded as a projected first-round NFL pick. Herbstreit has publicly mentioned Downs as a potential Heisman candidate despite no defensive player winning the award since Charles Woodson in 1997. And his leadership of the nation’s most dominant defense makes him an irreplaceable talent.

Then there’s the dynamic receiving duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Both of them were named Biletnikoff Award semifinalists as two of the nation’s best wideouts. Smith, the true sophomore phenom, has 72 receptions for 942 yards and 12 touchdowns through eleven games in 2025. He ranks tenth nationally in receptions per game (6.9), thirteenth in receiving yards per game (90.2), and tied for fifth in touchdowns. But numbers don’t do justice to him. His impact is way beyond the statistics. He routinely plays decoy, attracts three or four defenders, and opens the field for his offense.

Tate, meanwhile, has been equally impressive when healthy, posting 44 catches for 793 yards and eight touchdowns with an absurd 18.02 yards per reception average. All of this is through just nine games. The fact that both receivers have missed games due to injury yet still rank among the nation’s elite speaks to their talent level. Herbstreit’s assertion that Tate belongs in the “best player on the team” conversation isn’t hyperbole when you consider his impact per touch.​

Finally, there’s the defensive tandem of Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. These two linebackers have become arguably the most talked-about NFL prospects on the Ohio State roster. Reese has emerged as the breakout star of the 2025 season, recording 61 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for loss while drawing comparisons to Micah Parsons for his ability to rush the passer and play sideline-to-sideline. 

Multiple analysts have declared Reese his No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Matt Miller even stated that “Reese is a great example of a player who will make the transition from a college stack linebacker to a full-time pass rusher role, a la Micah Parsons or Abdul Carter.” 

Styles, meanwhile, has returned for his senior season specifically to improve his draft stock. ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranks Styles as the top linebacker prospect in the 2026 class ahead of Georgia’s CJ Allen. Both players are candidates for the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker) and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

So when Herbstreit suggests Julian Sayin could win the Heisman while being the fourth or fifth-best player on his own team, he’s not being facetious. He’s acknowledging that the Ohio State roster is so absurdly talented. And that even their Heisman frontrunner might not be their most irreplaceable piece.​