​If you’re a college football aficionado who loves stats and analytics, consider following Pro Football Focus if you haven’t already. While PFF is renowned for its NFL coverage, it also has a strong foothold in college football, offering detailed grades for teams, units, and individual players throughout the season, whether on a game-by-game basis or as cumulative totals. There’s a lot to explore beyond the basics, and the site’s grading and analysis can give fans a deeper understanding of how teams and players perform week to week.
As is typical with PFF’s reporting, Ohio State players frequently post impressive numbers, and this season is no exception. PFF recently released its top 50 college football players for 2026, and two Buckeyes earned spots on the list, with their rankings reflecting how highly they’re regarded at the moment. You can likely predict who the two players are, but it’s also insightful to review what Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick had to say about the duo. Yes, the pair is, of course, receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin.
Here’s where they landed on the list and what PFF highlighted about each of them.
No. 1 — Jeremiah Smith
What PFF says: “Smith tops this list for the second straight year, joining Trevor Lawrence as the only player to do so. Over his first two college seasons, Smith leads all wide receivers in PFF receiving grade (92.9), receiving yards (2,554) and receiving touchdowns (27). He also leads all wide receivers in PFF Wins Above Average (PFF WAA) over that span. Smith is a generational talent at the position who will have NFL teams tripping over themselves to draft him in 2027.”
No. 4 — Julian Sayin
What PFF says: “Sayin was historically accurate in his first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. The redshirt freshman completed 77.0% of his passes, the third-highest completion percentage in college football history, trailing only the 77.4% marks posted by Bo Nix in 2023 and Mac Jones in 2020. Sayin’s 74.2% accurate throw rate also set the PFF College single-season record. He led all FBS quarterbacks in PFF passing grade (92.9) and earned a grade below 70.0 only once all season. Sayin is the only 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist returning to school, and he should be considered one of the leading candidates to win the award this season.”
For ongoing Ohio State coverage, follow Buckeyes Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to stay informed with the latest news, notes, and thoughtful analysis. You can also follow Phil Harrison on X for additional notes and insight. This piece originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire and includes SEO-friendly references to two standout Buckeyes who made Pro Football Focus’ top 50 college football players list for 2026.