J.T. Barrett Injury: Updates on Ohio State QB's Ankle and Recovery

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett took a promising step forward in his recovery from an ankle injury that brought his phenomenal 2014 season to a halt.

Barrett posted a photo on Instagram on Tuesday, showing the two screws that were taken out of his right ankle, which he underwent surgery on to address a fracture (h/t CBSSports.com's Jerry Hinnen):

Many Buckeyes fans figured their season was lost when incumbent starter Braxton Miller hurt his throwing shoulder and was ruled out for all of 2014. After Barrett struggled in an early loss to Virginia Tech, though, he emerged as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, keeping OSU in the playoff picture.

However, disaster appeared to strike again when Barrett went down in the Michigan game. It only set the stage for Cardale Jones to break out on the big stage, leading the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title and two postseason wins to triumph in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel recently highlighted how great a situation coach Urban Meyer's team is in at the most important position:

To say Ohio State's quarterback competition this spring will be epic is a most egregious understatement. The reigning national champions have the luxury of having three starting-caliber quarterbacks, setting a foundation for immediate and future success.

It will be interesting to see who rises to the top. While Miller has a longer track record, Barrett was arguably better than him when he saw extended action, though Jones' combination of arm strength and mobility is tantalizing as well.

The good news is that Barrett appears to be on his way to a strong recovery, which should allow this quarterback derby to live up to its deserved hype.