Tavien St. Clair remembers his recruitment beginning when Kevin Wilson visited him at Bellefontaine Excessive Faculty.
The 2025 quarterback met the previous Ohio State offensive coordinator after his freshman season, who informed him how a lot potential the Buckeyes noticed in him as a possible goal.
“He was saying, ‘We like the place you are at proper now,’” St. Clair remembered. “’However simply think about the place you are going to be by your senior yr.’”
However Wilson and Ohio State weren’t prepared to supply St. Clair.
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And naturally the following yr, by means of a number of visits, camps and throwing periods, every producing optimistic suggestions, St. Clair didn’t settle for an Ohio State supply whereas two different quarterbacks in his class — together with one Ohio quarterback — did.
For St. Clair, rising into his 6-foot-4, 210-pound body, that Ohio State supplied turned the middle of his motivation, getting the eye of applications resembling Tennessee, Florida and Penn State earlier than getting the Buckeyes to purchase in after a throwing session in entrance of quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis.
“The truth that for some time, I wasn’t even rated to now being who they consider is among the high guys within the nation, to get a type of affords from Ohio State is insane,” St. Clair mentioned.
Tavien St. Clair develops into Ohio State soccer targets
To Jake Kennedy, it was no shock that St. Clair discovered himself within the higher echelon of 2025 quarterbacks.
The previous Wittenberg quarterback returned to his hometown of Bellefontaine after a stint with the New Yorker Lions in Germany to work with quarterbacks through the summer season of 2020. Clair joined Kennedy’s group as a wiry incoming eighth grader who may throw a varsity-sized soccer.
From his lengthy legs and arms to his method to the sport, Kennedy noticed the likelihood in St. Clair, one thing he noticed St. Clair start to pursue wholeheartedly
“He was simply so uncooked that he had no thought,” mentioned Kennedy, who’s now Bellefontaine’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. “I informed him, ‘That is what makes you so particular: that nothing’s ever been given to you. You have sort of been an underdog your entire life. You did not even understand how good you may probably be.’
“That is what permits him to be higher than different quarterbacks within the nation is that he is nowhere close to the place he’ll be even nonetheless.”
4 inches taller and 50 kilos heavier than he was when he first met Kennedy, St. Clair developed into Bellefontaine’s chief, throwing for two,453 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 4 interceptions whereas finishing 70.7% of his go makes an attempt.
However St. Clair continued to attend on Ohio State, which supplied Findlay four-star quarterback Ryan Montgomery throughout his freshman season and Belleville, Michigan, five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood after his freshman season.
“There have been applications that had been outdoors of my state the place they might see me throw and be immediately gravitated towards me and needed to present me a proposal,” St. Clair mentioned. “After which I’ve thrown a number of instances for Ohio State and the one factor that might come out of it could be like, ‘Simply preserve working, simply preserve getting higher.’ ”
Based on his father, Marcus, Ohio State by no means had unfavourable suggestions about St. Clair, complimenting his potential to increase performs and transfer round within the pocket. This system, Marcus mentioned, needed to see St. Clair takes the following step bodily, beginning his highschool profession at 6-3, 175 kilos.
Within the days main as much as his Ohio State supply, Tavien St. Clair mentioned he started to show his deal with the groups that had been formally investing in him, planning on returning to Columbus just for Ohio State’s 7-on-7 camp this summer season.
As an alternative, St. Clair mentioned he had “top-of-the-line throwing days (he) ever had” in entrance of Dennis, exhibiting his bodily development whereas the Ohio State quarterbacks coach watched him work by means of a number of situations that had him throwing into tight home windows in and across the pocket .
“He was simply telling me, ‘You have matured a complete lot. You are getting huge,’” St. Clair mentioned. “”And it is humorous as a result of you have not even gotten the place you may be.’ ”
What’s subsequent for Tavien St. Clair’s recruitment
With an Ohio State supply, St. Clair mentioned his relationship with the Buckeyes was beginning to change.
St. Clair mentioned he already noticed the Ohio State teaching employees exhibiting extra pleasure and vitality towards him now that he has a proposal, one thing his father Marcus described as surreal.
“Whether or not he finally ends up there (or) wherever the method takes him, to have that provide from a college that he grew up picturing himself because the quarterback for or cheering for on Saturdays… it simply means so much,” Marcus St. Clair mentioned.
However Tavien St. Clair’s recruiting course of isn’t full.
With a timeline for a dedication tentatively set for a yr, St. Clair mentioned she needed to proceed constructing relationships with the teaching employees that needed her essentially the most and would develop her one of the best.
Even with what he calls the “golden ticket” supply, Kennedy mentioned he is aware of St. Clair’s motivation will proceed, aiming to fulfill the potential Wilson noticed within the 2025 quarterback after his freshman season.
With that motivation, Kennedy noticed limitless potential for St. Clair.
“I am somewhat bit biased, however, you realize, I actually consider it: I believe he has one of the best arm within the nation,” Kennedy mentioned.
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This text initially appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State soccer buys into potential of 2025 QB Tavien St. Clair