Fresh off securing a commitment from Christopher Vargas, the top-ranked quarterback in the 2028 class, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is not wasting a single second. Day has immediately shifted his full focus toward four-star wide receiver John Matthews. Powered by Ohio State’s reputation as the premier receiver destination in college football, the Buckeyes are mounting an aggressive push to bring the Georgia standout to Columbus.

When Ohio State officially extended an offer to Matthews in late July, the high school junior did not hide his excitement on social media. Calling Ohio State the ultimate wide receiver program, Matthews made it clear that Columbus had been on his radar for a very long time. “I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. You know they are WRU,” Matthews said, per the Buckeye Huddle. Playing out of Newnan High School in Georgia, Matthews has quickly turned into one of the most sought-after pass catchers in the country.

Landing a quarterback of Vargas’s caliber changes the game for Ryan Day. In modern college football recruiting, elite wide receivers want certainty at the quarterback position. Knowing that Vargas is locked in gives Matthews a clear vision of who will be delivering passes to him if he chooses the Buckeyes, making Ohio State an even more compelling option.

The interest from powerhouse programs is well earned. Matthews posted standout production during his sophomore season, breaking his school’s single-game yardage record on his way to nearly 900 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. His explosive ability to stretch the field showed in his average of around 21 yards per reception, turning him into a constant big-play threat.

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Pulling Matthews away from the South will not be easy. SEC heavyweights like Georgia, Florida, and Auburn are battling hard to keep the local talent close to home. At the same time, regional powers like Florida State are staying heavily involved in the chase.

On top of that, Louisville has quietly become a major threat. Their wide receivers coach, Deion Branch, has been calling Matthews every single week to let him know he is their absolute number-one priority in this class.

Despite the heavy pressure from all sides, Matthews is taking a deliberate approach to his decision. He plans to evaluate offensive systems during game-day visits this fall to see how different coaching staffs utilize their primary receivers. With an official commitment expected next summer, Ohio State now holds a unique edge thanks to the combined pulling power of Ryan Day, wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, and their newly committed star quarterback.

When can Christopher Vargas start for the Buckeyes?

Christopher Vargas can officially suit up and play for the Ohio State Buckeyes starting in the 2028 college football season. Since he is currently a high school junior, he still has two more years of Friday night lights to finish before he can pack his bags for Columbus. He will most likely graduate early and enroll on campus in January 2028 to get a head start on spring practices.

When it comes to actually winning the starting job, the earliest Vargas could realistically do it is his true freshman year in 2028. But then again, Ryan Day’s blueprint for QBs might hold his chances back.

The biggest hurdle in his way will be Tavien St. Clair, an elite quarterback who will be a veteran junior by 2028 and the favorite to lead the team. On top of that, the Buckeyes have another top-tier quarterback, Brady Edmunds, joining the team one year before Vargas. This means Vargas will have to beat out two highly-rated players who have a major head start on him in college.

Because of all that talent on the roster, the most realistic expectation is for Vargas to spend his first year learning the system and adjusting to the speed of college football.

Needless to say, he has the generational arm talent to surprise everyone and play early. But you should expect him to fully take over the offense as the definitive starter by his sophomore or junior season in 2029 or 2030.