When a Pro Football Hall of Famer starts throwing around Patrick Mahomes comparisons for a college backup quarterback, people take notice especially when that Hall of Famer is Cris Carter, one of the greatest wide receivers in Ohio State history. On a recent episode of the Fully Loaded podcast, Carter didn’t just entertain the idea that Buckeyes backup Tavien St. Clair could be special — he actively upgraded the comparison in real time, and Buckeye Nation is buzzing about it.
Here’s the full breakdown of what Carter said, how the comparison came together, and why St. Clair’s path to QB1 could define the next era of Ohio State football.
How the Comparison Started
The moment came during a July 13 episode of the Fully Loaded podcast, when host Shawn Meaike relayed a listener question comparing St. Clair’s potential to former Ohio State star Justin Fields. Carter took a moment to consider the question — and instead of simply agreeing, he pointed to a different, even bigger name: Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes.
According to Carter, St. Clair looks like a version of Mahomes a genuinely dangerous athlete capable of extending plays and operating as a dual-threat weapon, but ultimately a pocket passer first. That distinction mattered to Carter. He went on to explain that while St. Clair may not have the same rushing ability Fields displayed during his Ohio State career, he believes St. Clair is actually the better pure thrower of the two — a notable statement given how productive Fields was in Columbus before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick.
Carter didn’t stop at the comparison itself. He praised Ryan Day’s track record developing quarterbacks and made clear he sees real concern in overusing a quarterback’s legs at the expense of long-term passing development — a philosophy he believes plays right into St. Clair’s strengths. Carter also revealed he’d seen St. Clair up close during a week spent with the Buckeyes at spring practice, giving his comments some added credibility beyond simply watching from afar.
Most notably, Carter suggested that if current starter Julian Sayin decides to leave Ohio State early for the NFL, the Buckeyes would be in excellent hands with St. Clair waiting in the wings — going as far as to project him as a future NFL quarterback in his own right.
Who Is Tavien St. Clair?
For fans who haven’t seen much of him yet, that’s understandable — St. Clair’s on-field résumé at Ohio State remains extremely limited. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback out of Bellefontaine, Ohio arrived in Columbus as the No. 3-ranked quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class after a standout high school career, but he’s played sparingly in his first year on campus, totaling just 13 snaps in 2025 — all of them coming in Ohio State’s second game of the season, a stretch in which he didn’t complete a pass.
Where St. Clair did turn heads was during Ohio State’s spring game in April, when he completed nine of 21 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, including three deep completions for 112 yards. It was a small sample size, but it was enough to generate real buzz about his arm talent and downfield accuracy — the exact traits Carter zeroed in on during his podcast comments.
Entering the 2026 season, St. Clair will once again serve as Sayin’s backup, giving him another year of development behind one of the most accurate passers in recent college football history. If the depth chart plays out as expected, St. Clair is positioned to take over as Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 2027, assuming Sayin departs for the NFL Draft after this season.
Putting the Mahomes Comparison in Context
It’s worth pointing out just how significant a Mahomes comparison actually is. After a standout two-year run at Texas Tech, Mahomes has gone on to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to three Super Bowl titles and has been named league MVP twice, cementing himself as one of the faces of the modern NFL. Comparing any college quarterback — let alone one with limited game experience — to that level of production is a bold statement, even with the obvious caveats.
For context, Fields himself was no slouch during his two seasons at Ohio State, completing 68.4% of his passes for 5,373 yards and 63 touchdowns against just nine interceptions, while also leading the Big Ten in passing yards and touchdowns in both seasons. He added 867 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground during that stretch. For Carter to suggest St. Clair is the better thrower of the two — even while acknowledging Fields’ clear rushing advantage — is a strong show of confidence in an unproven quarterback who has barely seen the field.
What This Means for Ohio State’s Quarterback Future
Carter’s comments add another layer to what’s already one of the more intriguing quarterback situations in the country. Ohio State enters 2026 with Sayin firmly entrenched as the starter, but with a five-star-caliber backup in St. Clair who is widely expected to take over the job in relatively short order. That kind of depth at the position is rare, and it gives Ohio State fans real reason for optimism no matter how the next year or two unfolds.
Whether or not St. Clair ultimately lives up to the Mahomes comparison remains to be seen — he still has to prove it on the field, starting with meaningful reps whenever his opportunity arrives. But when a Pro Football Hall of Famer with Ohio State ties is willing to put his name behind a comparison that bold, it’s a signal worth paying attention to.
Final Thoughts
Cris Carter’s comparison of Tavien St. Clair to Patrick Mahomes is the kind of offseason storyline that will follow the young quarterback for the rest of his career, for better or worse. For now, it’s a vote of confidence from a respected Ohio State legend in a player who has barely had the chance to show what he can do. If St. Clair’s spring game flashes are any indication of what’s to come, Buckeye fans may not have to wait long to find out whether Carter’s bold prediction holds up.
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