Ohio State has added a former HBCU quarterback to its depth chart, as Eli Brickhandler announced his commitment to the Buckeyes on Tuesday via social media. The former North Carolina A&T signal caller joins Ohio State with two years of eligibility remaining.
Brickhandler began his college career at HBCU North Carolina A&T, where he played in seven games as a redshirt freshman in 2022. That season, he completed 28-of-56 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 43 times for 176 yards and two more scores. As a true freshman, he saw limited action but still tossed a touchdown pass in two appearances. After transferring to Houston Christian prior to the 2024 season, Brickhandler appeared in eight games, throwing for 557 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 264 yards on 63 attempts.
Before his college career, Brickhandler was a standout at Pittsburg High School in California and spent a prep year at AHOP Christian Leadership Academy. In high school, he earned all-league honors as a junior and senior, throwing for nearly 2,800 yards and rushing for over 800 more as a senior.
Although he is expected to begin his time at Ohio State lower on the depth chart behind highly touted quarterbacks Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz, and Tavien St. Clair, Brickhandler brings experience and athleticism to the Buckeyes’ quarterback room. His journey from an FCS HBCU to one of the nation’s premier programs is a testament to his perseverance and versatility.Brickhandler becomes one of the few quarterbacks in recent memory to make the leap from the FCS to Ohio State, continuing a unique path that began at North Carolina A&T. His story adds another chapter to the growing list of HBCU athletes making moves across all levels of college football.
