Tavien St. Clair ready for Elite 11 final, doing everything possible to get a head start on collegiate development

It’s hard to dictate the dichotomy between Tavien St. Clair’s aura at Ohio State’s recruiting camp two years ago, last year and into this year.

In every gap, the Buckeye quarterback commitment made huge physical strides. St. Clair went from a meager afterthought in the state to a bona fide star who throws a football as good as any prospect in the country. Ranked No. 334 in the 247Sports rankings just 13 months ago, he is now a five-star recruit ranked No. 14 in the country and No. 3 quarterback.

St. Clair secured his offer from Ohio State around this time and committed less than a month later at the end of Ohio State’s 7-on-7 camp, which he will return to on Wednesday after kicking off camp Ohio State Skills Center on Tuesday for the second time in less than a week.

“Being here for the first camp last week, it was my first time back here since I had that feeling, that commitment and things like that,” St. Clair said. “It was important for me to take a step back, to realize how far I have come in a year and how many relationships I have made and developed. I never doubted my decision, not once, and I regretted it. So it’s been a great opportunity, a great journey.

Now, St. Clair is preparing for his senior year of high school football and doing everything he can to have an edge over his college years, whether it’s working hand-in-hand with the coaches at the OSU, to recruit peers or to showcase their skills. prestigious high school quarterback camps.

From his perspective, it was the work he put into perfecting his craft that earned him a rise in the recruiting rankings. He learns more and more about football with each passing week.

“I think about my competitive spirit and my work ethic in the offseason,” St. Clair said of why his stock has risen so much. “You don’t even have to throw the ball, you just have to get stronger, really understand defenses, understand the disguise that the defense is going to try to put me through. And I’m really just trying to have a one step ahead, to get a head start on the other competition mentally.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly played a major role in this development. St. Clair’s has already started learning the Ohio State playbook and was even able to attend some meetings with the team’s quarterbacks this spring.

“Me and coach Kelly sit down and talk, same with coach (Riley) Larkin,” St. Clair said. “Coach Larkin has been really important to my development as well, just dealing with it, helping me through reads and my progressions and things like that when I’m playing. Spring training was big for me, just to go to the quarterback meetings, to see the plays that they were going to make.

Although St. Clair’s Bellefontaine team will not play Wednesday in the Buckeyes’ first 7-on-7 contest of the summer, the gunslinger will be back on campus to play for the home team as he prepares for his trip to Los Angeles. for the Elite 11 final on June 18. There, he will learn and compete for three days with 19 other top quarterbacks from around the country, including the two above him in the composite rankings, LSU commit Bryce Underwood and USC Julian Lewis. .

“Having a chance to prove that you are the best in the country is an opportunity you should take every chance you get,” St. Clair said. “So, like I said before, I’ve been dreaming of being in the Elite 11 final for a long time. And I know the best quarterbacks in the country will be there, so it’s just a way to showcase your skills against the best.

St. Clair said he pays a little attention to his recruiting rankings, but not too much. Clearly, the Elite 11 offers a chance to go even further.

“At the end of the day, what matters is academic work and time on the field,” St. Clair said. “It’s also a matter of opinions for the ranking, but it’s also a major blessing. I think it helps get national attention, just knowing that your work is being shown and people are recognizing you for your work is a major blessing.

Speaking of important college work, St. Clair is a leading player in recruiting potential future teammate David Sanders Jr. The No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the class of 2025 could also be priority No. 1 of the Buckeyes. on the class track, given the past few years of struggles along the offensive line and past recruiting failures at the position.

“We’re very close. I just texted him yesterday, so I’m in touch with him all the time,” St. Clair said. “Really, keep a close eye on him, even though he’s on his other official visits, like, ‘Hey,’ just make sure he knows I’m still in the mix. So yeah, my relationship with David is really, really, really special.

St. Clair added that his goal and that of his fellow commits is to maintain OSU’s position as the No. 1 class in the country and then have the best team in the country when he arrives in Columbus. Sanders would be a huge brushstroke to add to this picture.

Personally, St. Clair is focusing on his feet and leadership as he enters his senior year. With these adjustments and his continued learning of the Ohio State system, he hopes to get the head start he’s looking for before enrolling early at Ohio State in January.

“I think my footwork is definitely important,” St. Clair said. “Coach Kelly and Coach Larkin have been working with me for a while now, just making sure my footwork is clean, because right now I’m relying on my arm. And sometimes that’s really good, but sometimes it can get you in trouble. So I think just getting my footwork in line and really being the best leader that I can be this year is the biggest goal that I have.