The Ohio State Buckeyes got some good news on Wednesday, as starting quarterback J.T. Barrett announced he would return for his senior season.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett will forgo a shot at the NFL and return to Columbus for his senior season, according to an official announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
Barrett had weighed entering the NFL draft a year early following a successful third season as Ohio State’s primary starting quarterback. After a late-season stretch that included a lackluster game against Michigan State and a 31-0 loss at the hands of Clemson in the College Football Playoff, Barrett decided that spending one more season with the Buckeyes could improve his draft stock.
I'm coming back for my senior year. Much love to Buckeye Nation and thank God for the blessings. https://t.co/iOhLTX7FvR
— Jt Barrett (@JT_theQB4th) January 4, 2017
Ohio State was fortunate to have Barrett on the roster back in 2014, as he flawlessly replaced injured starter Braxton Miller as a huge part of Ohio State’s title run. Barrett accumulated nearly 3,900 yards and 45 total touchdowns, although he gave way to Cardale Jones for the final three games of the season after breaking his ankle in the win vs. Michigan.
Rather than build on that terrific freshman season, Barrett has regressed as a passer since. Barrett served as the backup to Jones before winning back the starting job late in the year. He really struggled to lead a lifeless Buckeyes offense at times this season with his worst statistical campaign yet as he was unable to capture the brilliance of his 2014 campaign.
The decision to return won’t hurt Barrett, as he was likely going to be a late-round pick or undrafted free agent. While Barrett is unlikely to improve his draft stock too much, another season with an ultra-talented supporting class at Ohio State could get the attention of a few NFL scouts.
Next: Best college football quarterback born in every state
One interesting thing to watch will be how Barrett responds to new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, as the often-criticized Tim Beck left for Texas. Barrett was at his best under Tom Herman in 2014 and never really got going with Beck running the offense, so the coaching change could help him rediscover some of that upside.
Urban Meyer has to be thrilled with Barrett’s decision, as the Buckeyes will have an experienced quarterback to go along with a lot of returning talent and a terrific recruiting class.