Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
With Braxton Miller moving into a receiving role to join freshman Torrance Gibson, Junior Michael Thomas and sophomore Jalen Marshall, Ohio State enters the season with an outstanding receiving corps that can stretch the field.
ESPN has J.T. Barrett ahead of Jones—by a wide margin—in its 2015 Heisman Watch. However, Jones is the more talented quarterback and has a knack for coming up big when the game is on the line. Head coach Urban Meyer will quickly learn to trust the most dangerous pure passer in the nation.
“The bigger kid threw the ball down the field a little more,” a Big Ten defensive coordinator said this offseason of Jones (h/t ESPN). “That’s the interesting thing there, though it’s not that J.T. couldn’t throw it, because he can.
“But [Jones] can sure throw it, and he throws a hell of a catchable ball.”
In limited action last season, Jones showed the ability to make big-time throws to every part of the field. He completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 860 yards with seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. He was also outstanding during the three postseason games for the Buckeyes.