R.J. Day Picks Northwestern Over Five Other Offers, and the Big Ten Just Got Weird

Ryan Day's kid made his choice, and it wasn't staying home in Columbus. R.J. Day, the son of Ohio State's head coach, announced his commitment to Northwestern on Sunday, picking the Wildcats over a pile of other schools and setting up one of college football's oddest family storylines.

The Recruit and His Offers

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound quarterback from Columbus, Ohio, has been a three-year starter at St. Francis DeSales High School, where he's put up some serious numbers. The kid owns multiple school passing records, which tells you he's been slinging it around since he was a sophomore. That's not nothing.

R.J. had options on the table. Purdue came calling. Syracuse wanted him. Cincinnati made a pitch. South Florida threw their hat in the ring too. And yes, apparently there were others in the mix. But when it came time to decide, he went with Northwestern and David Braun's program instead. ESPN doesn't have him ranked, so he's not a blue-chip prospect, but he's a kid who can play and has put up the tape to prove it.

Landing With Braun

With his commitment, R.J. Day becomes the fifth member of Northwestern's recruiting class under Braun. That's the kind of early win a coach building something needs. Whether it's the name, the coaching lineage, or just the fit, Braun is assembling pieces.

Next up for the Wildcats: keep building this class and see what else Braun can land. For Ryan Day and Ohio State? They'll be watching their quarterback's son play Big Ten ball somewhere other than the Shoe. That's a story that writes itself come September.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.