Justin Fields declares for the NFL draft

Largely expected, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields made it official on Monday, announcing that he was leaving school to enter the 2021 NFL Draft:

As Fields indicates, his path to this moment was an indirect one. Field originally enrolled at Georgia but transferred to Ohio State after a single season with the Bulldogs, his home-state school. He was behind Jake Fromm on the depth chart, but did complete 27 of 39 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns while appearing in 12 games.

Fields was declared eligible to play immediately, and became the starter for the Buckeyes for the 2019 season. In 14 games that year he completed 238 of 354 passes for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns, against just three interceptions. He led Ohio State to the College Football Playoff, which saw the Buckeyes lose to Clemson (and fellow draft-eligible quarterback Trevor Lawrence) in the National Semifinal.

Despite playing in an abbreviated season due to COVID-19 Fields again shined in 2020. He completed a career-high 70.2% of his passes and exacted some revenge against Clemson in the National Semifinal, throwing for six touchdown passes in a win over the Tigers. While he was battered in that game, Fields’ ability to diagnose Brent Venables defense – something that eluded him a year ago – was most impressive.

This is becoming a very impressive quarterback class with Fields, Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance all potentially top-ten picks. The athleticism, arm talent and upside that Fields offers should see him come off the board within the first five selections.