Why JT Barrett Has Medical Advantage over Braxton Miller in Ohio State QB Battle

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With three high-profile players each at different points in their college careers vying for one starting spot, Ohio State's star-studded quarterback competition isn't going away anytime soon.

In fact, it's even made its way to the NFL Scouting Combine.

Former Buckeyes in attendance have been asked who they think will start for their alma mater next season—Jeff Heuerman no-answered, while Devin Smith predicted Cardale Jones—and Braxton Miller's personal quarterback coach, George Whitfield, has been making the media rounds. 

Speaking to Dave Briggs of The Toledo Blade, Whitfield propped up his client, proclaiming that if he were healthy, Miller would be one of the top quarterbacks at the combine this year.

“There have been very talented guys and very prolific guys. Jameis [Winston] has been very prolific and Marcus [Mariota] is very talented," Whitfield told Briggs. "But Braxton is a super hero.”

The only problem with that is Miller's not healthy at the moment, still working his way back from a torn labrum suffered in his throwing shoulder last August. Whitfield, however, claims Miller's not far off, proclaiming the two-time Big Ten MVP will be full-go by the start of the summer and prepared to play quarterback for the Buckeyes.

That's good news for Miller, but despite Whitfield's optimism, it hardly settles who will be starting at quarterback for Ohio State come Sept. 7 at Virginia Tech. In fact, the only member of the Buckeyes' "Magnificent Three" who's yet to be mentioned here yet—redshirt sophomore-to-be J.T. Barrett—could very well be the one who's on the field in Blacksburg next fall.

With nearly six months to go until Ohio State's season opener, how does the most talked-about quarterback competition in the country stack up? Here's a look at where each competitor stands.

J.T. Barrett

The case for

Like Miller, Barrett's status remains up in the air as he deals with an injury, although the reigning Big Ten Quarterback of the Year's health issue isn't nearly severe as his predecessor's.

Fracturing his ankle in the Buckeyes' regular-season finale against Michigan last year, Barrett has been out of commission for the past three months, having the screws stemming from surgery removed this past week. That's a positive sign for Barrett's progress, although he'll likely be limited at best come spring practice.

Nevertheless, Barrett is expected to be full-go by the start of the summer, which was enough time a year ago for him to surpass Jones on the Ohio State depth chart before Miller's injury. Even with little-to-no on-field activity in the spring, fall camp should be plenty of time for Barrett to show that he's back in his freshman season form.

And what a season it was.

Rewriting the Buckeyes' record book while leading Ohio State to an 11-1 record and the Big Ten Championship Game, Barrett showed a strong command of the OSU offense as a true dual-threat quarterback.

As a result of his stellar campaign, the Wichita Falls, Texas, native earned honors as the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, CFPA National Freshman of the Year, third-team AP All-American as well as a fifth-place Heisman Trophy finish.

Should Barrett's health progress as expected, he simply may be the Buckeyes' best option from a talent standpoint. It also wouldn't hurt that as the youngest of OSU's three competing quarterbacks, Urban Meyer knows that he could continue building with Barrett in the future. 

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

The case against

Or maybe Barrett's age could come back to bite him.

Despite coming off the best statistical season by an Ohio State quarterback, the 6'1", 225-pound Barrett has become somewhat of an afterthought in the upcoming signal-caller derby. Some of that has to do with the fact that regardless of who plays for the Buckeyes in 2015, Barrett seems to be a lock to be OSU's starter in 2016.

And while that could work in his favor, it could just as well work against him, as Meyer may be apt to go with either Miller or Jones, each of whom will presumably leave the Buckeyes program the following year.

Add in that Jones will see a majority—if not all—of the first-team reps this spring, and there's certainly a compelling case that the nation champion-winning quarterback could build an insurmountable lead on Barrett and Miller.

While he may be the best blend of what both Jones and Miller and bring to the table, Barrett's relative youth could certainly relegate him back to again waiting his turn. It's hard to imagine a player of his caliber sitting on the bench after the season he just enjoyed, but that's just how crazy the quarterback situation in Columbus is at the moment.

Braxton Miller

The case for

As Whitfield said, Miller is a "super hero." And while that might be a bit of hyperbole on his part, Miller's stats sure do seem super human.

Prior to last year's season-ending injury, Miller was poised to break nearly every Ohio State career passing record and could very well have finished second in career rushing. In three seasons, the Huber Heights, Ohio, native has accumulated 8,346 total yards and 84 total touchdowns, earning two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards, two Chicago Tribune Silver Footballs and a 2012 fifth-place Heisman finish in the process.

On a Buckeyes team that went 24-2 from 2012-2013, Miller was the best player and the only reliable offensive weapon in Ohio State's undefeated 2012 campaign.

And although Miller's on-field accomplishments speak for themselves, you could also make the case that Meyer owes it to the fifth-year senior to get him back on the field, if healthy.

After all, Miller originally injured his shoulder attempting to lead the Buckeyes to an Orange Bowl victory over Clemson at the end of the 2013 season and re-injured it rushing back for the 2014 campaign. When healthy a year ago, Miller's status as OSU's starter was never in question.

"Braxton is our quarterback," Meyer said on Sept. 29, a statement he would later go back on. "To be fair to Braxton, [he's the] Big Ten Player of the Year."

If truly back at full strength, there are few players in the country as electrifying as Miller. And the Buckeyes may just owe it to him to let him try to prove it once again. 

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The case against

While what Whitfield says about Miller's recovery sounds good in theory, it should be taken with a grain of salt.

According to Meyer, the originally planned recovery time for Miller was close to 12 months. And while each injury heals at its own respective rate, extra caution was to be taken with Miller this time around considering his shoulder was initially re-injured while rehabbing from an injury.

Add it all up and it's hard to imagine Miller really being 100 percent by the start of June as Whitfield claims. It's also worth noting Whitfield's biases could very well be in play here, as he is Miller's paid personal trainer.

Given that Miller has gone the longest without playing, is dealing with the most serious injury for a quarterback and likely will be the last one at full strength, the odds seem to be stacked against Miller. If he truly is a super hero, as Whitfield claims, this summer may be the time to show it.

Cardale Jones

The case for

The most recent of Ohio State's highly hyped trio to play, Jones has momentum on his side. And as Meyer often likes to tout, in college football, momentum is everything.

Leading Ohio State to wins over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and Oregon in the national championship game, Jones stepped up in Barrett's absence when it mattered most.

More than that, he added a new dynamic to the Buckeyes offense, his cannon of an arm providing a consistent downfield threat while opening lanes for running back Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for 200-plus yards in each of Jones' three starts.

"All three of those guys are very good deep ball throwers," Meyer said of his quarterbacks. "But Cardale is the first guy I've had, I want to say since [former Utah quarterback] Alex [Smith] that is up there that can high-low a pass over the top of a defensive line and that's rare. That's hard to find those guys."

At 6'5" and 250 pounds, Jones isn't as elusive of a runner as Miller or Barrett, but he did show a power running style that gained critical yards throughout the Buckeyes' postseason run. Jones was so impressive in his three starts that many thought he would enter this year's NFL draft, where some projected him to be a first-round pick.

"It's everybody's dream and goal when they play football or any collegiate sport to make it to the next level," Jones said. "But at my point in my career, I feel like it's best for me to go back to school, and one of the most important things for me to do is to graduate. When I make that decision to play in the NFL, I want to be done with school."

Ohio State's undisputed No. 1 quarterback heading into spring practice, Jones insists Meyer didn't promise him a starting role upon his return. But it's hard to imagine that he isn't aware that with his current head start, he could build an insurmountable lead on his two talented teammates. 

USA TODAY Sports

The case against

While Jones' three starts were certainly impressive and came on college football's biggest stage, they still were just three starts.

Between himself, Miller and Barrett, Jones has by far the smallest resume and may have ultimately benefited from not having any extensive film for opponents to study. While that shouldn't necessarily be held against Jones in his quest to hold on to his starting spot, it may give him a shorter leash than Barrett and Miller.

With so much unknown about Jones still, it remains possible his three standout games could prove to be an aberration. Even more likely, while talented, he could still be beaten out by one or both of the players who used to sit ahead of him on the OSU depth chart.

Of course, the Buckeyes' quarterback competition still contains questions about all three competitors, and until they are answered, this conversation will continue. But with nearly six months to go until the season opener, it continues to take shape, Whitfield's update on Miller being just the latest twist.

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.